Fantasy can happen in Rio
by Jixstun
Summary: A young Researcher's project at the Conservation Centre goes awry with some... interesting results.
1. Chapter 1

**My first attempt at a Fanfiction. I just had this idea bouncing around in my head after watching the Film & had to get out before it drove me crazy (though I suspect it might be too late).**

**Disclaimer: I own no part of the Brilliant Animated Feature Film Rio. Darn it.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"That was beautiful." Linda sighed as she removed her helmet.

"Absolutely." Tulio agreed as he removed his own equipment.

They had just finished a leisurely hang-glider flight over the jungle & the city, with Blu. Jewel, their kids & their friends tagging along for part of the way. Linda & Tulio loved the brief time they could spend in the air with the birds. Even though Blu & his family would visit the Conservation Centre offices often, their home was in the jungle now & Linda knew that he needed to stay there, wild & free.

As they continued to neatly pack up their equipment ready for the next time, Tulio retrieved his phone & took a quick look at his messages. Linda paused as she saw a slight frown gather on his brow.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" Tulio was usually such an easy-going guy, anything that ruffled his feathers, (so to speak) was usually important.

Tulio smiled as he put the phone down & said "Oh, it's nothing, really. You remember my telling you about Jules, a researcher at the Centre?"

Linda cast her mind back, & recalled Tulio telling her about a promising young researcher with some pretty radical theories about the structure of avian language & communication. She had never met him personally, but Tulio had told her that that wasn't unusual, as he was something of recluse, totally wrapped up in his research.

"...Oh, yeah. What about him?"

"Well, he's been bugging me the last few weeks about a major breakthrough he's made in his research. He claims to have found a way around the language barrier that separates the Human & Avian species! Pretty wild huh?"

"…around the barrier?..." Linda said, trying to process the information. Despite her close relationship with Blu & the empathy she had developed with him where they so easily understood each other, there were still times when she wished she could understand what Blu & Jewel were saying. The 3 weeks when Jewel's wing was in splints as it healed for instance, would have been near impossible it wasn't for Blu (apparently) reassuring her & making sure she didn't interfere with the treatments Tulio applied.

"Yes. He claims that Birds have a language every bit as developed & complex as our own, & that it's just a failure of comprehension on our part. On that, I agree with him & it's why I've devoted so much of my time to learning how to communicate with them."

Linda hid a smile at that. She didn't like to point out how every time he tried to communicate with a Bird outside of his own centre like Blu or the other Bird friends he had acquired, they invariably just seemed befuddled or looked at Tulio like he was crazy.

"Where we differ substantially however, is that he believes its possible to directly stimulate the language centre of the human brain using a special treatment he's devised, thus enabling comprehension of the Avian language without the need for training. It's pretty out there."

"Sure sounds like it. So what's the problem?" she said as they walked back to the Jeep with their equipment.

"As I said, he's been bugging me recently because he claims he cracked it, & he wants to know how soon it can move from theoretical models to practical testing. As I'm sure you know however, it's not that simple when we're talking about something that can only be tested on a Human."

"Of course." Linda was well-read enough to know of the kind of hoops that had to be jumped through when any kind of new, untested treatment was being considered for use on Humans.

"He's convinced he's made it safe, & keeps telling me that all of his computer models & simulations come up 100% safe as well & can I make sure the review board knows it, but these things take time. The initial review of his work won't occur for another 2 months at least."

"Must be frustrating for him." Linda commented as they stowed the gear, climbed into the vehicle & started it up.

"Ohhhh, Yeah. & it's the reason why my inbox has been getting such a workout lately." Tulio said as he guided the Jeep through the light traffic on their way back to the Centre. "He's impatient to move forward. I'm going to have to sit down & have a serious talk with him if this keeps up."

Linda nodded at that. But as they continued on through the streets Tulio could see that she had something on her mind.

"Do you…. think he's on to something?" Linda asked eventually as they were waiting at a light. "I mean, assuming he's right, could it be as easy as a pill or a shot or even an inhaler & you'd be able to understand the language of birds, just like that?"

Tulio shrugged. "I honestly don't know. From as much as his reports as I can understand his work is brilliant, complex & incorporates multiple branches of science. It's all somewhat over my head, but I'm sure the review board will be able to see if there's anything in it."

Linda nodded again & as they drove through the gates, Tulio continued: "And I must admit it's a compelling idea. Just think of what great leaps of understanding the Human & Avian races could take towards each other if the communication barrier was removed. It might even convince people to turn their back on smuggling, if they knew that these poor birds had thoughts & feelings not to dissimilar to our own."

"Amen to that." Linda smiled as Tulio parked the Jeep & they got out of the car. "Though you know, that might put you out of business too."

Linda & Tulio both laughed as a squawk was heard & Blu flew down to perch on the Jeep crossbar. He often welcomed them back after their little aerial jaunts. Linda & Tulio both greeted him, but as he hopped onto Linda's wrist he gave her a look that clearly said "what were you two laughing about?"

"C'mon Blu." Linda said, affectionately stroking his head. "I'll tell you all about it on the way to meet Fernando for dinner."

* * *

Jules stared at the monitor.

He had been staring at one monitor or another for the last few hours. Running another in the countless series of simulated tests he was performing on his creation, his formula.

Jules was in his mid-twenties, lean, his black hair cut short in a no-nonsense & low-maintenance style & he wore plain black-rimmed glasses. He had applied for the research position at the Conservation Centre shortly after graduating from University with top Honours in Natural, Chemical & Radiological Science. With qualifications like that, he could have walked into any research position with any company he wished, but he had applied for this comparatively lowly position at the Centre with its minimal salary as he was looking for a place where he could pursue his rather wild theories without interference. Jules had seemed like a godsend to Tulio as he had recently received a grant of computer & laboratory equipment but had no-one qualified to use it & here was a fully qualified researcher willing to work for a pittance, as long as he was allowed to steer his research in whatever direction he wished. Tulio didn't mind. As long as Jules was filling the position, the grant requirements were satisfied, & Jules relished a quiet working environment with no-one interfering or looking over his shoulder.

Jules finally transferred his attention from the monitor & rising from his chair, walked over to a whiteboard which was covered with formulas & calculations, much erased & re-written in the past but not so much now. He picked up the marker & eraser & stared at the board, twirling the marker in his fingers as if daring any other mistakes to make themselves known & face his wrath.

He hadn't had many friends growing up. He had been a rather shy & as such spent a lot of his time reading in the library at both home & school. While the other kids shouted, played, practiced for Carnaval, etc. Jules could be found absorbed in works of both fiction & fact, learning & expanding his horizons.

Later, during his studies Jules found his attention drawn to the world of science. He saw what he found to be a puzzling disparity between the natural world & the technical/scientific one. Many tended to view them as polar opposites, but he found himself increasingly convinced that scientific breakthroughs could be used to aid the natural world just as it aided the Human one. This had led him to the study of conservation of endangered species & put him in touch with Tulio's Centre, but as sympathetic as he had found Tulio to his general outlook that science could serve nature, Tulio favoured tried-and-tested methods rather than new approaches.

He sighed, & removing his glasses pinched the bridge of his nose, a habit of his when frustrated or recognizing that he was getting a little too obsessed with his work. He knew he had been bugging Tulio a little too much recently about his project. Tulio had other responsibilities at the Centre & Jules knew that there were rules to follow for something as radical as the approach he was suggesting. And he knew why those rules had to be there. Despite his confidence in the work, there were still questions about its safety. His project crossed boundaries of Chemistry & Radiation that hadn't been crossed before, & it was quite possible that there were issues beyond his understanding that a review of his work would reveal.

But he had poured so much of himself into it. He sometimes had the odd feeling that the ideas he had had & the directions he took ever since he had started work all those months ago weren't entirely his, & he was merely putting the outer clothing on something that wanted to exist all by itself. Not that he was overly superstitious. He had the good scientist's talent for putting himself outside a situation & analysing it, including his own work. But even with that layer of detachment, everything seemed to be rosy. All the simulations came back positive; all the theoretical models said that the treatment would be safe & effective no matter how many times he went back over them, looking for anything he might have missed, any flaw in his reasoning.

He replaced his glasses & glanced up at the clock on the wall. As understanding as Tulio was about his research time, that wasn't his only function at the Centre. He had other duties, & it was time to perform them.

He put the marker & eraser back under the board & crossing back to the computers he shut off the monitors, leaving the machines themselves running. They could complete their sequences in peace while he went off on his rounds. He didn't resent the more practical part of his duties at the institute. On the contrary, he would get just as absorbed in the care of the birds in the here & now as he would about the potential future he was trying to bring about.

Closing the lab door he made his way to the duty station, nodding & exchanging pleasantries with the other researchers he met in the corridors or sitting at tables tending to their charges. He didn't know any of them well, & neither did they know him or the specifics of his research, but he was on friendly terms with all of them.

Reaching the duty station, Gloria, the researcher in charge of the work assignments smiled at him & reaching behind her for the duty roster said: "Hey Jules. How the work going?"

"Slowly." Jules admitted. "Everything on my side is done, but now Tulio said I need to be patient for the review process."

"That can be a pain right enough, but a necessary one." She glanced over the roster. "Dr Miles needs assistance with a Macaw with a sprained leg, & after that Dr Simmons needs your help examining some Parakeet chicks. That seems to be all for now."

"Oh, Ok." Jules took the notes but then hesitated.

"Something wrong Jules? Gloria looked at him & he caught the sparkle in her eye & the slight twitch at the corner of her mouth. She knew exactly what he wanted to ask, but was going to make him work for it.

"Oh, no, nothing…. So this is all?" he said holding up the notes. "I'll just… be going then." He said backing up at a pace a snail would have been impatient with. "No-one else needs my help?... that's…. that's fine." "No-one in the East or… or… the West Treatment wing needs a hand then…."

He finally turned at the door & as he was about to step through, Gloria, in a voice dripping with nonchalance, said "Actually…"

He turned, playing his part in her game. "…Yes?"

"There is…one patient I'm sure Dr Miles wouldn't mind you check in on once you're done. Only if you happen to be passing, mind." She grinned at him, & very deliberately proffered the one note she had deliberately held back.

"Sure thing." He said putting as much a note of sarcasm into his voice as dared, which wasn't much.

He took the third note & as he tucked it behind the others Gloria chuckled. "I don't know why we have to go through this rigmarole every time." She's your patient. Dr Miles said so."

"Yeah, but he also said that it's not done for a researcher to get too attached to a certain bird. She's almost ready for release."

"And you'll be sad to see her go, I know. But I've also only seen the kind of trust you two share a couple of times. You've got a knack."

"I wouldn't say that. She's only the second injured bird I've personally taken care of. She may just be very even-tempered."

"I doubt it. She thrashed around like crazy when she first came in. Dr Miles saw how you were the only one she seemed to trust."

"I don't know why." Jules admitted. "I just saw a poor bird in pain with a fractured wing, & just wanted to do everything in my power to help her. I'm sure the other researchers all felt the same way."

"Of course, but the fact remains she saw something in you she didn't see in the others. That's why she let you take care of her."

Jules shrugged. As he turned to go & begin his rounds Gloria said: "One other thing, Jules." He turned back with a questioning expression. Their little game didn't usually go on this far.

"Tulio has asked me to find out if you want to come along this year." Gloria asked the question as if she knew the answer & Tulio should have too.

It certainly puzzled Jules. "Come along to what?"

"Carnaval, of Course! It's the biggest party & parade so far this year, & we're holding a pre-Carnaval party tonight. Are you really not getting involved? Everyone else at the Centre is."

Jules hadn't given Carnaval a second thought. He never usually did. "…Oh, no…no, far too much to do. My research takes up all my free time."

"But you just said you'd gone as far as you can for now. Haven't you earned a break?"

"There's always more to do. Besides, I'm not really one for parties & celebrations. Never have been, really."

"Pity." Gloria said, shaking her head. "Especially in Rio, the party capital of the world."

"That has been pointed out to me before." Jules said rather dryly. "Sylvio said the Birds probably party more than I do."

"I agree with him." Gloria said, "Still there's still time, & you're always welcome, remember that. If you should have a change of heart, come along to the festivities." She handed him a flyer for a party. "We'll all be there & they'll be a place for you, whether you come or not. Don't worry about dressing up, but I would advise you to leave the lab coat."

"I'll think about it." Jules smiled as he accepted the flyer & tucked it in front of his notes. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, both for the flyer & the party, don't forget that."

"Sure…. well, Dr Miles will be expecting me."

Gloria watched him as he walked off down the hall towards the East Treatment wing. A nut to crack, this one Rio, she thought. Can you bring him out of his shell & get him to experience the joy of Carnaval as you have to so many others?

* * *

Carrying a Watermelon in his claws, Blu swooped down through the jungle canopy, heading for the hollow tree where he, Jewel & their chicks had set up home.

As he propped the Watermelon between 2 branches & alighted on the branch, he called out & his 2 sons & daughter erupted out of the hole with cries of "Daddy!" & bearing down him he scarcely had time to react before he was tackled playfully by his kids.

"Yes, Yes, Daddy's happy to see you too. Gia, would you mind terribly letting go of my leg? Ahh! Paulo, would you mind not hanging off my Crest like that? It takes me ages to comb it just right, Andre, Andre, would you mind… not bouncing on my tail…please? Oh, uh, right."

A laugh came from above, & wearing his kids like Jewellery, Blu looked up to see Jewel watching the scene with an amused twinkle in her eye.

"What can I say Blu? They missed you." She said. "You did, didn't you darlings?"

As they chorused "Yes!" & continued to play with their father Jewel fluttered down & helped Blu prise their kids loose.

"So, how were Linda & Tulio?" she inquired as she tickled her daughter with a wing feather.

"Oh, great, great. They really enjoyed the flight & they filled me in on something…. really interesting going on back at the Centre."

Jewel raised an eye ridge at that, but said. "Tell me all about it over dinner then. C'mon Gia, Andre, Paulo! Dinnertime!"

The kids cheered at that & they all turned their attention to the Watermelon on the upper branch. Blu & Jewel carved up the fruit & shared it out & they all proceeded to tuck in. As they ate, Blu related what Linda had told him about Jules' research.

"Crackpot." She summed up succinctly.

Blu was shocked. "You shouldn't say that! He could really be onto something. It could change the way Humans & Birds interact with each other!"

"Look, Blu, I know you have a soft spot for humans & I admit there are some really good ones out there like Linda & Tulio, but the majority of humans don't care about us. I can't see them being able to understand us changing that."

"But that's just it Jewel, it's so much easier to dehumanize someone when you think they don't have thoughts & feelings like yours."

"We're _not_ human, Blu."

"Figure of speech, Jewel. We have thoughts & feelings don't we? If you cut us, do we not bleed?"

"I'd rather not test that Blu."

"Look, the point is that if it works, it could make the job of conservation so much easier. We could get along with humans so much better rather than just avoiding them all the time."

Jewel was silent at that & continued eating. She & Blu still had a difference of opinion when it came to humans in general. Jewel preferred to avoid them (with the exception of Linda & Tulio) whereas Blu was more open (naïve, in Jewel's opinion).

"Anyway." Blu sighed. "It's a moot point for now. They won't let him test his theories until they'd reviewed his work & made sure its safe, & it'll be months for that to happen."

Bet they wouldn't be so hesitant if it were Birds they were testing it on, Jewel thought darkly. But didn't say it out loud & felt slightly ashamed of the thought. It was an echo of her old human-hating side, which had much diminished ever since the wonderful care she had received at Tulio's hands healed her wing, good as new & she had been released with Blu into the jungle.

She decided to shift the conversation to less contentious ground. "Rafael dropped by earlier."

"Oh? How is he?"

"Still being run ragged by those kids of his. He said that he, Nico & Pedro are planning something special for Carnaval this year."

"Really? Didn't Eva make it clear to him that he's got to stop trying to sneak off?"

"That's just it. No more sneaking, as he said they were planning a more low key, family-oriented chick-friendly party right here in the jungle this year."

"That's one way for him to get to attend." Blu observed shrewdly. "But I like that idea. The Kids can be introduced to the joy of Carnaval without having to go into the city, as I agree, though they have hearts of gold, Nico & Pedro's backstreet Samba club can be a little wild."

"No kidding." She smiled at him. "So next time I see him I can say we'll all be coming then?"

"Absolutely." Blu said happily, but a cloud passed swiftly across his face.

Jewel noticed it. "What? What is it?"

"Oh, no… it's nothing really…" Blu said, feebly trying to wave it off.

Jewel wasn't fooled. "C'mon Blu, you can tell me. You can tell me anything."

Blu sighed. "It's just that… I really wish… Linda could come."

Seeing the look on Jewel's face he hastened to explain. "I know it's impossible, I know our worlds our separate now, a human couldn't possibly go… but she's still family to me, coming right after you & the kids."

Jewel sighed. As happy as Blu was with his life in the jungle with her & their kids, the bond he had forged with Linda ever since she had found him as a tiny, cold & frightened chick was unshakeable, & was the reason why she didn't object to his frequent visits back to her at the Centre & her new Bookshop she was running with Fernando. It would probably be easier for Blu to chew his own leg off than to never see Linda again. Not that she disliked Linda of course. During her convalescence from her broken wing, she saw first-hand what a caring human she was & the strength of Blu's bond with her, & then her ultimate expression of love, letting him go to be with her.

She also knew that Blu had become comfortable with human culture, & being totally cut off from it wasn't in his character. Although he agreed with her that the chicks needed to be raised in the jungle, he would still tell them bedtime stories taken (Jewel assumed) from all the books he had read & had also brought some books & paper back to their tree not (as Jewel had first thought) as nesting material, but to start teaching them to read & write, which he was adamant were vital skills to have & had got her to join in too.

"I'm sorry she can't too Blu, but I'm sure that she, Tulio & Fernando will be celebrating Carnaval in their own way, just as we'll be celebrating it in ours." She smiled at him. "You won't want them to be having fun & you're not will you?" She teased.

As she had hoped, the playful taunt perked Blu right up. "Of course not! Why, you know I'm one of the best Samba dancers in the jungle! I'd like to see any human dance better than me once I start to shake my tail feathers!"

"That's the spirit!" She laughed as their kids, their meal finished, hopped over to them. "All done my darlings? Good. Oh, let me just clean you up a bit…" She rubbed some stray bits of Watermelon off their faces with her wing. "There we go. C'mon Gia, Paulo & Andre! You haven't forgotten about you r play date with the Toucans have you?"

The kids cheered again, & opening their wings they took to the air followed closely by their parents, heading for Rafael's & Eva's tree.

* * *

Back at the Centre, Jules was completing his examination of the left wing of a Scarlet Macaw standing on the examination table in front of him.

"Looking good Ana." He said, holding her wing gently & flexing it slowly. "It's completely healed. You'll be ready to go home tomorrow. Bet you're looking forward to that huh?"

Ana squawked her approval, & releasing her wing Jules stroked her head. "It's just a shame that…" He stopped, & Ana looked up at him quizzically.

"I really wish… I could have tried out my formula. I could have found out what you really think about how well you've been treated here."

Ana put her head on one side & squawked again. Jules interpreted that as "no complaints". But he would have loved to know for sure.

"I know you didn't object to my taking one of your feathers, but did you really understand what I wanted it for? If I had been allowed to go ahead, we could have asked you."

Ana didn't reply to that, & Jules stroked her head a few more times. He seemed to be wrestling with something internally.

He suddenly stopped stroking & glanced around. None of the other researchers were within earshot.

"Listen." He said lowering his voice conspiratorially. It was such an unusual tone for him to take that Ana looked up at him curiously. "I'll let you in on something, but no telling, ok?"

Ana merely ruffled her wings, but continued to gaze up at him.

"I'm going to go ahead with the synthesis tonight. No-one will be here because of the pre-Carnaval party, so they won't be any the wiser. And once I have an actual vial of the formula in its complete made-up form, I'll be able to go much further with tests on its long-term stability & safety."

"Oh, not that I'll be testing it on anyone or anything living of course." He added quickly, as if already addressing a stern ethics committee conjured up by his own conscience. "Far too early for that even though I'm certain it's safe. But it's the only way I can get sound final data." He finished firmly.

Ana looked up at him, & with that same sense with which he found he could interpret most of her moods, Jules was sure he saw note of concern.

"Don't worry." He reassured her. "I'll take every precaution. You just concentrate on resting tonight. You'll be going home tomorrow, & I'll hopefully be embarking on new phase of tests with my formula."

He held out his wrist & Ana hopped up onto it. Rising, he crossed over to one of the Bird enclosures for treated birds ready for release & gently guided her into it.

"Sweet dreams, &…wish me luck." He said giving her head one last stroke before closing the door, & returning to the table to gather his papers, he walked out the examination area.

Ana watched him go, then taking wing up to one of the higher perches, she settled there, with a faint frown on her face.

"Finished with the Doc?" said a large Red, Blue & Green Parrot called Carlos who settled on the perch next to her.

"Oh, yeah…" She said a little absently.

"Something wrong? Your wing has healed up nicely & you should be ready to go. Surely even a human like him could see that."

"Of course he saw it." She responded a little more sharply than she intended. She took a calming breath & continued "And it's because of that human that it's healed up so well. He's very good at his work."

"He's not as patronizing as most of them, I'll give him that." Carlos admitted grudgingly. "The way he talks to you, it's almost as if he expects an answer."

"Yeah…" Ana said. Carlos could see she was still following a train of thought of her own.

"Anything you want to talk about?"

She hesitated. "Well…" Surely Jules hadn't been serious about her keeping it a secret. It wasn't like telling him could do any harm to his plans anyway. "It's that project he's been telling me about. The one about being able to understand our language?"

"Oh, that. Sounds loopy to me."

"He believes in it, & he's sure he can make it work. So sure in fact, that he just told me he's going to try & proceed with the trickiest part tonight, without permission."

Carlos didn't seem moved by the 'without permission' part. He wasn't as up of such human things as Authorisation & Clearance as Ana was. "Good for him. Humans have too many rules, in my opinion. Stops them from having fun."

"If he gets found out, he could get in a lot of trouble."

"Then he'd better not get found out then, had he?" Said Carlos mischievously. "If he can get away with it, then he deserves to in my opinion.".

"That your approach to life Carlos?"

"You know it. I'm glad some of our free spirit is finally rubbing off on some of these guys other than Tulio. You could do with a little lightening up yourself."

"I don't know what you mean." She said haughtily.

"C'mon Ana. You take everything so seriously. I'm surprised they haven't given you one of those drab white coats they wear & offered you a job."

"You're talking nonsense," she sniffed & took wing to a different part of the enclosure, a clear indicator that the discussion was over.

As she perched there she was irritated by the thought that Carlos was right. She had always been of much more serious turn of mind than the other birds. Back in the jungle, while they were busy singing & dancing, she would be making careful plans to avoid predators, maintain food stocks, & most importantly, avoid poachers. As a Scarlet Macaw, she was a pretty rare species, so she knew she had to be careful. She wasn't as rare as a Blue one, like the pair that had recently settled into the Jungle, but not far behind. She wouldn't have dared revealing herself to humans if wasn't for that accidental collision she had with a Hang glider that had broken her wing. Her neighbouring birds had rallied to make sure she was found by the Centre & she had only just managed to supress her urges to bite & scratch while they brought her in.

And they had done a great job. Or more specifically, Jules had done a great job. The moment she had laid eyes on him she felt a bond of trust she couldn't explain, & it hadn't steered her wrong. He had helped numb the pain & heal the injury, something the other birds had told her anyone in the Centre could do, but the fact remained that it was him who had helped her, & both he & the other birds had let her know that she would be allowed to go home when she was fully recovered, which she now was.

Now that the time to leave was almost here, she realized that she would miss Jules. She would miss the (admittedly one-sided) talks they would have where he would tell her all about what was going on in the Centre & his research. And she agreed with him, it would have been nice if she could have still been around when his project was tested, so she could have let him know how grateful she was.

Still, if he was right & his project was a success, then it could have wide-ranging implications for both Birds & Humans. She would have to see if she could cultivate some contacts back to the Centre when she got back home to the Jungle so she could find out how he & his work were doing.

She glanced up at the windows & the yellowing light. Evening was coming, & Jules would be getting ready for his clandestine experiment.

Good Luck Jules, she thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**Continuation of my Story. Can you guess the inspiration for Jules' device?**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Rio.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"So Jules decided not to come?" Linda said.

She & Tulio were driving through downtown Rio on their way to the pre-Carnaval party Tulio had arranged for all the Centre staff.

"Gloria gave him the invite." Tulio sighed. "And she made it clear that he'd been welcome, but he insisted he just wanted to go over his research notes again, making sure they're all in order for the review board."

"That's a shame." Linda sighed too. "But I know how hard it is to overcome your shyness." She grinned at him. "Not everyone is ready to dress up in a bird costume & be the centrepiece of a float."

They both laughed.

"Oh, don't worry." He assured her. "We wouldn't go that far. Just a friendly invitation to spend some quality time with colleagues. We wouldn't make him dance or stay late or anything like that if he didn't want too."

They continued driving & while later pulled into a large parking area near a convention hall. Snatches of music & conversation could be heard coming from inside.

As they parked & got out Linda said: "I'll get the hamper with the savouries. 'You've got the Dance Prize Vouchers right?"

Tulio stopped dead. His jaw dropped & he slapped his head. "The Prize Vouchers! I forgot all about them! They're still in my office at the Centre!"

"Tulio…" Linda sighed, half annoyed, half amused. "I swear you'd forget your own head if it wasn't screwed on. We'll just have to go back for them."

Tulio checked his watch. "Yes, Yes, it'll be tight but we'll just have time… Linda! What are you doing?" Linda had jumped into the driver's seat of the Jeep.

"I'm a faster driver than you Tulio, & you'll probably need my help to find those tickets in that mess you call an office anyway. No arguing! Come on!"

Tulio jumped in. Linda raced the Jeep out of the parking lot & they sped through the city, Linda using the shortcuts Fernando had taught her & in record time, they were pulling up outside the Centre.

"Quite a ride, huh?" Linda said as they screeched to a stop.

"You can say that again…" Tulio gasped as he half-stepped, half-fell out the vehicle. His glasses were askew & his hair was dishevelled. "If they ever make driving a Carnaval event, you'd win hands down."

Linda smirked at that, & after Tulio had straightened himself out the 2 of them walked quickly towards the main building of the Centre where Tulio's office was located. The Temporary guard filling in for Sylvio expressed surprise at their return but quickly understood when their errand was explained & they moved as quickly & quietly as possible deeper into the Centre to Tulio's office.

As he retrieved his key, Linda glanced down the corridor & saw the sign pointing down to the 'Research Lab'.

She pointed at it & said "Oh, is that where Jules works?" as Tulio fitted the key & unlocked his door.

"That's it." He confirmed. He opened the door & he & Linda passed inside his office. Turning on the lights, Tulio went straight to his cluttered desk & after scant few seconds of rummaging, pulled out an envelope with an exclamation of satisfaction.

"Hah! I knew something so important wouldn't be buried too deep. C'mon Linda! The party's awaiting!"

Right at that moment however, the lights flickered.

Tulio & Linda looked up. "I hope that's not another blackout." Linda said. "We definitely don't need another of those with the party & all."

"Let's check outside." Tulio suggested. "Hopefully it's just a local power surge."

They exited the office as the lights continued to flicker & as Tulio re-locked his door they both became aware of an odd noise on the edge of hearing.

"Is that… a chemical centrifuge?" Tulio said. "If it is, it sounds like its being run far above its normal RPM's…"

"They stared down the corridor in the direction of the Research Lab as the noise continued to build & then the lights suddenly went out entirely.

"You don't think… Jules!" Tulio said. "He's synthesising his formula!" I remember him saying he'd need an overclocked centrifuge to create it properly!"

He ran down the corridor, closely followed by Linda. As they got closer to the Research Lab the noise of the centrifuge continued to build & as they rounded the corner they saw that the long observation window that looked into the lab was awash with a Bluish-White light that pulsed in rhythm with the ever-increasing whine of the centrifuge.

"What is he _doing_ in there? Normal chemical synthesis looks & sounds nothing like this!" Said Tulio, as they hurried towards the Lab door.

Just before they reached it however, the whine reached its peak & the window of the lab suddenly radiated a near-blinding flash of the Bluish-White light, causing Tulio & Linda to stop & recoil, shielding their eyes. As they shielded their eyes from the light, there came first a high-pitched oscillation & then descending groaning/whooshing noise from inside the lab, not the centrifuge but something different. The light faded.

"_Right_." Said Tulio as he & Linda blinked, clearing their vision. "I'm going to see what he's up to right now!"

Striding to the door, he gripped it & thrust it open. He entered the lab with Linda following.

The Interior of the lab looked like controlled chaos. A lot of the tables & equipment had been moved aside to make room for a large construct that looked like a big pressure cooker that had been involved in a collision with an electronics store. Various tubes & wires hooked it up other pieces of equipment & displays & a large metal tube on one side connected it to bench which Jules was bending over with his back to them, carefully manipulating something in front of him. He was so engrossed in what he was doing, he hadn't heard their entrance.

Tulio stalked up to him & just as Jules was straightening up with something held carefully in his hands, Tulio reached him & said sharply "Jules!"

Jules nearly jumped out of his skin, wheeling round to face this unexpected challenge, & as he did so a sealed glass tube he was holding jumped out of his hands. Snapping out of his Tulio-induced shock, he made a desperate grab for it, but was unable to catch it in time & the tube shattered on the floor.

It was like dropping a Ninja smoke bomb. A huge cloud of thick Bluish-White vapour rose from the shattered tube, rapidly filling the Lab & causing Jules, Tulio & Linda to cough & splutter.

Eyes streaming, Jules stumbled over to a wall & slapped a control with his palm. Fans on the ceiling whirred to life & the vapour filling the Lab was sucked out & expelled skywards to evaporate harmlessly.

Leaning against a desk, Tulio & Linda sucked in lungful's of the cleared air, & when he had recovered sufficiently Tulio stalked up to Jules again where he was supporting himself against the wall & coughing occasionally.

"You have a lot of explaining to do mister!" He said, as angry as Linda had ever seen him.

"Tulio… you… you gave me quite a start." Jules said smiling wanly.

"I'll be giving you quite a _stop_ unless you tell me what you think you were doing in here!"

Jules looked wretched. "I was… synthesising the formula I was telling you about. Just for analysis purposes though, I swear!" He rushed on. "I needed to know if it could be properly compiled & its long-term stability so I could make the proposal for review as complete as possible!"

"Jules…" Tulio said shaking his head as his anger abated. "This is a serious breach of the review procedure. You know that?"

"Of course I do." Jules said mournfully.

"And its grounds for suspension from the Centre. You know that too?"

"…Yes."

"And you did it anyway?"

Jules, his shoulders slumped, just nodded.

Tulio sighed. "It was that important to you, huh?"

"I was sure I could make it work."

Tulio gazed at him for a few moments, & then gently laid his hand on Jules' shoulder.

"And maybe you can." He said softly.

Jules looked up at him in surprise as Tulio continued: "I'm not happy about you going behind my back like this Jules… but I can understand believing passionately in a project."

He continued slowly: "And I know that you're a great researcher with a promising career ahead of you. It would be a shame for that to be jeopardized by one, & let me repeat myself here so there is no misunderstanding Jules, _one_ error in judgement."

As Tulio's words & the pointed look he shot at Jules as he emphasised the word _one_ sank in, Tulio continued: "To that end Jules, it would be a real pity if when I came into this lab tomorrow I would see anything… _untoward_ wouldn't it?"

"…Yes… Yes it would. I'll be sure… to make sure…. that everything is… tidied up. By Tomorrow. And that… it remains… in order. From then on." Jules smiled a little uncertainly.

"That's a good man. See Linda?" He addressed Linda who was leaning against a nearby bench with a smile on her face ever since she caught Tulio's drift. "I told you this young man is smart, didn't I?"

"You sure did." Linda agreed. "And I'm sure that the review board will be similarly impressed by his work when it comes up for review, & he can then move forward through the _proper_ & _official_ channels."

Meaningful glances from both of them fully absorbed, Jules nodded. "Yes, absolutely."

"Excellent." Tulio said slapping Jules on the shoulder. "Well, Linda & I are late for a party. I know they're not really your scene Jules, so I'll leave you to… your cleaning up. Be sure to lock the door behind you when you're finished ok?"

"Sure thing." Jules smiled at them.

He shook hands with Linda as this was their first meeting. As she & Tulio made their way to the door, Jules called out "Thank you both… for all your good advice."

"Anytime Jules." Linda & Tulio smiled at him from the door. "And you know, anytime you want to talk, my door is always open."

"Thank you, I'll be sure to drop in when I feel I might be getting a little… off track."

"You do that." Tulio said in a light tone that nonetheless had a serious edge. "Wouldn't want you to do anything we'd all end up regretting now would we?"

With that parting shot & Jules' sombre bob of the head in acknowledgement of it, Linda & Tulio withdrew closing the door. Jules sighed & looking down at the shattered tube with its evaporated contents, he headed off to the supply cupboard to find some disposal containers.

* * *

"That was a very nice thing you did." Linda said as they were driving away from the Centre.

"He's a good kid." Tulio said. " Besides, I wouldn't want to have to fire someone on a night I'm going to a Carnaval party. I think I've made it clear that I won't stand for behaviour like that again, so he has his chance & I don't think he'll blow it."

"I hope so too." She smiled at him. "You'll have to give him some extra work from now on to take his mind of his Project."

They laughed, but as they were driving along Tulio's eyes suddenly widened & he jerked the wheel to the side, pulling them off the road & stopping them on the embankment. Luckily, they were on a very quiet & seldom used stretch of road on the edge of the city.

"Tulio!" What's the matter?" Linda exclaimed.

Eyes wide, Tulio slapped his head with his hand. "The Project! Jules' formula! In the rush of my anger at him & then seeing him so crestfallen, I completely forgot that we've all been exposed to it!" He turned to her. "Remember? When the tube smashed on the floor, we all inhaled the vapour! He said in his reports that absorption through the lungs would be the preferred method of administration!

"Oh gosh, you're right!" Linda put her hand to her mouth. "What do we do?"

"Stay calm!" Tulio fumbled in his pocket for his phone. "There's an emergency number for exposure to unknown chemical compounds…. I can call & get someone out to us… out to us in a short… short time…"

Tulio swayed, blinking & then crumpled up in the Driver's seat unconscious, his phone falling to the floor.

"Tulio!" Linda reached across to shake him. "Tulio, are you alright? Don't worry! I'll find the number… I'll find it &… find it &… we'll… you'll…." Sagging & Eyelids fluttering, she fought to stay conscious, but it was like someone had suddenly drawn a black veil down over her consciousness & she too collapsed in her seat.

A few moments later, with both of them slumped unconscious in the stopped jeep at the side of the empty road, there was no-one to see the extraordinary thing that happened next.

* * *

Jules carried the sealed remains of the shattered tube to the disposal area, & dropping it into the hopper he removed his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose & sigh.

A total bust. He thought. Not only had his sample been completely lost, but he had been caught red-handed flouting testing procedure. He should count his lucky stars to have a boss like Tulio, who was willing to overlook the breach & give him second chance, a chance he did not intend to waste.

Replacing his glasses, he exited the disposal room & walking back towards the Lab he passed the room with the Enclosure where Ana was perched & asleep, alone since the Parrot she had been sharing the enclosure with had been released earlier that evening.

He hesitated. He needed to get back to the lab & start dismantling the Equipment, but he would like to see his favourite bird one last time.

He had all night to dismantle the Equipment, he decided. He walked softly into the room with Ana's enclosure & stopped outside her cage, being careful not to make any noise to wake her. Looking at her with her head tucked in her wing, he was glad he'd been able to help such a magnificent creature return to her home, & felt guilty that he'd been so willing to risk the substance of his fulfilling work for the shadow of his theories. They'd be time for those later if he just showed patience.

He turned to go back to the lab, when he was suddenly overcome by a wave of dizziness. He stumbled & managed to catch himself on the cage with a crash.

Ana jolted awake, untucked her head from her wing, & noticing him leaning on the door she cocked her head quizzically.

"Oh…Sorry, Ana. Don't know what came over me." Said Jules, blinking. He tried to straighten up. "I think I need to… need to… need…"

He slumped, & with the alarmed Ana looking on he collapsed on the floor by the cage.

She fluttered off her perch & came up to the bars. Seeing Jules collapsed on the floor, she called out, hoping to make some noise so someone would come & help him, but her cries died in her throat & her eyes widened when she saw what happened to him next.

* * *

The temporary guard at the main door of the Conservation Centre looked up when he heard a crash echo from one of the back rooms. Jules had warned him earlier that evening about some power fluctuations that might occur due to him testing some electrical equipment & Linda & Tulio had assured him as they left that the temporary blackout the centre had experienced was nothing to worry about, but a disturbance like that needed checking.

As he rose from his seat, he heard a distant agitated squawking coming from near the source of the noise.

Someone after one of the birds? He thought & hurried towards the noise. He didn't want any of the birds being stolen away on his watch. That would reflect badly on both him & the agency he had been hired from.

Just before he reached the room the noise was coming from there was a flash of Bluish-White Light from within & the squawking suddenly stopped. Fearing what he might see, he rounded the doorframe with his Baton ready & shone his torch into the room.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. There was one large enclosure with a Female Scarlet Macaw right up against the edge. She seemed riveted by something on the floor, so much so that she paid no attention to the guard.

Shining his torch down, he saw that there was another Scarlet Macaw lying sprawled out on the floor, either unconscious or dead.

Quickly shining his light around the rest of the room revealed nothing else, so the guard stepped over to the Macaw on the floor. Using the basic training he had received from the Centre he verified that the Bird had a heartbeat & was breathing & was therefore just unconscious.

"Now how did you get out here little guy?" he muttered. He glanced up at the Macaw in the cage, who was still staring at the other one on the floor.

"Must've gotten out somehow." Though he was darned if he could figure out how, with the cage still latched & all.

He carefully picked the Macaw up from the floor & stepped over to the cage. The one inside finally seemed to snap out of her stupor & started squawking & hopping up & down, flapping her wings.

"Hey, hey, take it easy." He said soothingly. "I'm just putting your friend back, no harm, no foul."

This didn't seem to reassure the caged Macaw, who continued flapping & squawking.

"Fine, fine, I'll get out of your way." The guard said hurriedly. He opened the cage & quickly but carefully placed the unconscious Macaw inside, lying him spread out on the cage floor.

The other Macaw stopped squawking & retreated to the farther end of the cage where she just stared at the unconscious one.

"I'm sure he'll be all right." The Guard assured her as he re-latched the cage. "I'll let the researchers know he'll need a check first thing in the morning."

He turned & walked off, still looking for the potential source of the disturbance. The Female Scarlet Macaw looked helplessly back & forth from his retreating back to the other Bird out cold on the floor of her cage.

* * *

"Man! That was some party, huh?"

"You expected something less from one ours Nico?"

Nico & Pedro laughed & bumped their wings together. They had just finished another wildly successful party in their backstreet club & were on their way home to the Jungle. Though they were pretty comfortable in the city, it was nice to have more natural environment to return home to that was close to their friends Rafael, Blu & their families.

As they flew away from the city & got closer to the Jungle, Pedro glanced down at one of the connecting roads they were passing over.

"Hey, Hey! Hold up Buddy!" He said coming to a hovering stop in mid-air.

"What's up Pedro?" Said Nico as he came back to re-join his friend.

"Take a look down there. What do you suppose their story is? Said Pedro, pointing with one wing.

Nico followed his gesture & saw a Jeep pulled up on the side of a deserted back road. Sprawled over the driver & passenger seats were 2 Scarlet Macaws.

"Well, look at that. Don't see many of them around. You think they need some help?"

"Only one way to find out. Let's be careful though buddy, this whole situation looks a little freaky."

They flew down cautiously. As they got closer they could see that the Macaws were lying still with their eyes closed & there was no-one else in site. They perched on the Jeep crossbar.

"Hey! You guys ok?" Pedro called.

The 2 birds didn't respond. Exchanging a glance & a nod with Pedro, Nico fluttered down to first one, & then across to the other, checking their breasts.

"Well, they're breathing & they have heartbeats." He reported. I guess they're just out cold."

"Weird." Said Pedro, putting one wing on his thigh & scratching his head with the other. "What they doing zonked out in a human vehicle in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere with no-one around?

Nico shrugged his wings helplessly.

"Well we can't just leave em here." Pedro considered a moment, and then clapped his wings together. "I know, let's ask Ralfi! His homes not far & he'll know what to do!"

"Good idea." Said Nico. "I'll go, & you can stay in case they wake up!"

"Don't be too long, little buddy." Pedro said. "This whole situation don't sit right with me. Something's up."

"As fast as the wind." Nico reassured him before zipping off into the sky in the direction of Rafael's tree, leaving Pedro watching over the unconscious Macaws.

He made good time & was soon alighting on Rafael's tree. He approached the entrance as quickly & quietly as possible, as he knew Rafael & his family would probably be asleep & he definitely didn't want to disturb those kids of his.

"Hey! Ralfi!" He whispered at the entrance.

He had to repeat his summons a few more time before he heard movement. Rafael popped his head up out of the hole blinking sleepily.

"…Huh?... Wassit… Nico?" He said as he focused on the Canary. "Do you have any idea how late it is?"

"Sorry, big guy, but something's come up!" Nico said. He explained his & Pedro's discovery as Rafael hopped out his hole & slowly got his sleep-addled brain up to speed.

"2 Scarlet Macaws?" He said rubbing his eyes with his wing. "Doesn't ring any bells. Wouldn't necessarily though, as there's a few scattered around & I'm not real close to any of them. You say they're out cold in a human car at the side of the road?"

"Yeah. They're totally vulnerable there Ralfi. Can we help them out?"

"Yeah, of course." He blinked one last time, shook his head & spread his wings. "Lead the way Amigo."

He & Nico flew off & were soon back at the Jeep. The 2 Macaws were still out cold & Pedro was still standing guard.

He & Rafael greeted each other, & then Rafael turned his attention to the 2 unconscious birds.

"Hmm… definitely not anyone I know or have seen around." He flew down & nudged the Male a few times with his wing. "Hey! Hey! Wake up! You ok, Amigo?"

The Bird didn't respond. Rafael put his head up to the Macaw's breast & pinched his eye open with his wing feathers.

"Wow, they're really out of it." Rafael said. "And you say you didn't see what happened to them?"

Pedro & Nico shook their heads. "They were like that when we got here. What should we do Ralfi?"

Rafael considered briefly. "Well, we can't leave them here. A human or a predator could come along anytime. We'll have to get them to safety & ask them their story when they wake up."

Nico & Pedro nodded, & Rafael continued: "I know just the place too. We'll have to carry them, but I'm sure we can do it. You guys up for that?"

They nodded again. Rafael hovered over the Macaw & getting his claws carefully round his shoulders, lifted him into the air. With Rafael lifting his body & Pedro supporting his head, they flew off up the hill slowly but surely. Rafael was a strong flier, but even with Pedro's help it was quite an effort to carry each bird from the road, into the forest, to the empty hollow tree near his own. After settling them both inside, Rafael had to lean against the trunk for a few moments to catch his breath.

"Whew. I just hope they appreciate this in the morning. Blu made it sound so easy, when he talks about how he carried Jewel that time."

"I'm sure they will Ralfi." Pedro said. "Why don't you get on home to your family now? Nico & I can catch some Z's in this tree tonight, & we'll be sure to let you know when the 2 sleepyheads come around."

"Sounds good guys. You take care now ok?" He said bumping wings with the 2 of them. "See you tomorrow!"

He took off, & Nico & Pedro made themselves comfortable for the night, perching in the upper branches of the tree above the hollow where the 2 Scarlet Macaws slept on.


	3. Chapter 3

**The fruit-eating part in this chapter was inspired by the Deleted Scene "Fruit Stand" from the Rio DVD.**

**Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own Rio.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Jules groaned.

He had never been one for partying or drinking so he had never experienced a hangover, but the way he felt right now as he regained consciousness couldn't be far off. He felt like his body had been put through a mangle, & the sensations he was getting from it seemed out of place & unfamiliar.

He was laying spread out on his front, so he sorted through his scattered senses sufficiently to pull himself up & lift his head. Supporting himself in this way, he opened his eyes & blinked a few times as the world swam into focus.

The immediately noticed 2 things. The first was that the focus of his eyes seemed off as his nose & forehead seemed larger than he remembered, causing him to briefly wonder if he had hurt himself in some way despite the absence of pain. But this thought was pushed out by the realisation that what he saw in front of him when he managed to focus was bars.

What? He thought. Am I in jail?

He tried to get to his feet, but something was really wrong with his co-ordination & he only succeeded in collapsing back on the floor.

He turned his head to look at himself & see what the problem was, but the sight that met his eyes was one he could hardly believe & he just stared for a few moments, blinking rapidly.

The body he was expecting to see wasn't there. He was unclothed, but instead of pink flesh he was covered in red, yellow & blue feathers. Instead of arms & hands he had a pair of large wings; his legs were shorter, thinner, positioned differently on his body & ended in claws rather than feet & he had long red & blue feathers forming a tail on his behind. Following his altered form up to his neck he realised it was longer than it should be, & squinting with one eye revealed that his mouth, nose & forehead were now taken up by a large white & black beak.

What's happened to me? He thought in a mix of fear & fascination.

Taking it more slowly & making allowances for his altered dimensions & sensations, he carefully pulled his feet… err, claws underneath himself & steadying himself with his wings against the floor, he managed to rise. When he was standing with relative stability, he looked back over himself again.

"What's happened to me?" he said aloud. His memory was a bit of a blur about recent events. Something about a test?...

"I was hoping _you'd_ tell _me_." Said a voice from above & to the side of him.

Startled, he whirled round & catching his long tail feathers on the bars he promptly lost his precarious balance & collapsed on the floor again.

"Oww." He propped himself up with his wings & raising & turning his head, he looked towards the source of the unexpected comment. It was a female Scarlet Macaw, perched above him on a horizontal bar crossing the jail he seemed to be in. She was regarding him with what looked like a mixture of curiosity & concern.

"…Ana?...Is that you?" Jules said blinking. "Wait... hold up, did you just speak?"

"I sure did Jules…you _are_ Jules aren't you?" She enquired.

"What?... of course I am. Surely you can…" he stopped & glanced down at himself again. "That is… err, I know I look different… but it's me." He looked up at her again. "But I can understand you now… this is intriguing!"

"That's one way of looking at it, Jules" said Ana raising an eye ridge. "Am I to assume that your formula has had something to do with this? You never said anything about it turning you into a bird!"

"Formula?..." Recollection suddenly hit Jules like a sack of bricks. "My formula! The accident! but... but… It wasn't… it couldn't… it was never supposed to do anything like this!"

He scrambled up onto his claws, still rather unsteady. Balancing, with his wings thrust out, he turned his head this way & that as he checked his new body over again. "I… I… I _am_ a bird aren't I?" he said.

"Head to Tail." Ana confirmed. "I take it this was _not_ your intent?"

"No way! I told you, the effect I was trying to produce was supposed to be limited to just the language centre of the brain! Not… not… _this_!" He wailed, thrusting his wings out in front of him on the last word & almost losing his balance again.

"Hey, calm down." Said Ana as Jules breathed heavily, looking lost & confused. "Just… calm down & tell me what happened?"

"Well, sure… Yes… Yes, going back over things should help me sort it out." Jules said, beginning to pull himself together. "Well, you see..." Here though, he glanced around at the enclosure they were in. "Say… where are we anyway?"

"You don't recognise it?" Ana said. "This is the cage you put me in yesterday."

"I'm in a cage?" Jules wailed. He collapsed back on his rump, his tail feathers splayed out against the bars, his wings sagging, his eyes wide & looking lost again.

"Hey!" Ana said firmly. None of that. It's not too bad in one of these & I'm sure we can get you out later. Please, just go on with what you were saying? Something about an accident?"

"…the accident… yes, yes of course…" said Jules, pulling himself together again. "… stay focused here." He took a deep breath & seemed noticeably calmer. He then proceeded to tell Ana all about what had happened the previous night.

Ana listened attentively, but when Jules got to the part about dropping the tube & what Linda & Tulio had said, she gave him an intent stare that got his attention.

"What? What is it?"

"Are you saying that Tulio & Linda were exposed to your formula too?"

"…why yes, I guess they…" He trailed off, eyes widening. "Oh, _Nuts_." He said, squeezing his eyes shut & burying his head in his wings.

"Where did they go Jules? They're not still here are they?"

Jules opened his eyes & removed his head from his wings. "No… no, they said they had a party to go to." He gave Ana a worried look. "If they were affected the same way I was… possibly even in the middle of a crowd or while driving along the street…"

Ana shook her head. "Don't think the worst Jules. We'll just have to hope they're alright. The question is, what are you going to do now?"

Jules looked torn. "Well… I… guess I need to try & get some help." He looked up at the bars. "The researchers should be coming in later today right?"

"You're not seriously suggesting you try asking a human for help, are you?"

Jules looked up at her in surprise. "Of course! Why not?"

She shook her head. "You don't seem to have realised Jules, that although you are now capable of understanding my language, you're also speaking it?"

"What? Don't be ridiculous, Ana. I'm speaking… plain…" He stopped.

She was right. Without even realising he was doing it, Jules was communicating in a series of Squawks, Caws & Whistles just like Ana was, but understood them perfectly. He had theorized that the sounds birds made were a full language to them & enabling understanding was the thrust of his project, but it was disconcerting & a little frightening to realise that that language had apparently totally replaced his own without him even realising.

He tried to say a few words in Human, but it turned out to be really difficult. Even though Scarlet Macaws were known for being able to speak human words his new mouth… err, Beak, Tongue & Vocal cords just couldn't or wouldn't co-operate with the sounds he was trying to make them produce. He felt he could do it eventually, but he didn't have the time or patience right now.

Ana watched his efforts in sympathetic silence. When he finally gave up in frustration she said gently: "You see? You won't be able to make them understand. At best, they'll think you're just a really intelligent bird & want to keep you around for tests. That's why a lot of us don't let on how smart we are."

Jules slumped. "Then… then… what can I do?" He said, reverting back to the much more comfortable Bird language.

"If you're going to figure that out Jules, you're going to have to do it for yourself, just like the rest of us. Now, do you think you can figure out what's happened to you & possibly Linda & Tulio if you had enough time?"

Jules considered. "…Yes… yes, I'm certain if I went back over my calculations, I could figure out where this effect came from & how to reverse it. Eventually."

"Good. Do you need your lab in order to do that?"

"I shouldn't think so, not at first anyway. I have all the research data memorized you see, & all I would need would be some writing tools so I could work out the vertices of the Molecular, Chemical & Particle dynamics which I would then need to iconometrically modify from the observed effects & realign the…" Jules brightened up as he started to warm to his theme.

"Yes, yes, very good." Said Ana hurriedly. She knew he could go on all day about his particular version of Molecular Chemistry if given the chance. "That being the case, I have a plan that I think you should go along with. You willing?"

"You'll help me?"

"Yes. I owe you for taking care of my wing, & it looks like you'll need someone to show you the ropes of being a bird."

"Thanks Ana." Jules said with genuine gratitude.

"You're welcome." She fluttered down off her perch to the cage floor. "Now first thing's first, you need to get up off your butt & learn how to balance." She helped him up onto his claws. "Use your tail & wings… here, let me straighten out those tail feathers of yours…there you go. Don't forget to lean back a little when you gesture with your wing or stick your head out… good. You should get the hang of it quick. That's good, as we can move on to flying practice before the researchers come along."

Jules had been rocking on his claws with his wings out, testing his balance, but Ana's last words riveted his attention. "Fly?..." He said in a tone of excited wonder.

"Ohh, yeah." She smiled. "Listen, when the researcher comes along here's what we need to do…"

* * *

Back in the jungle Nico awoke & yawned as he stretched his wings.

Glancing around at the morning light, he gently nudged his sleeping friend. "Hey! Pedro! Rise & shine! A new day is upon us!"

As Pedro stretched & yawned in his turn, Nico glanced down at the tree entrance. "Still no movement from our Scarlet friends it seems."

"…friends?" said Pedro as the haze of sleep retreated from his brain. "…oh, yeah. I remember now. What a weird night."

Nico arched an eye ridge at him & said slyly: "Weirder than that time you got drunk & started putting those moves on that…"

"Hey, Hey!" Pedro cut him off rapidly. "I thought we agreed never to talk about that again huh?" I gotta reputation to uphold!"

Nico chuckled but relented. As he & Pedro did a few more stretches to work out the kinks & shake the sleepiness out of them, Rafael flew down to join them.

"Morning guys. Any movement?" He said.

Nico & Pedro shook their heads. "So what's the move big guy? We just wait for them to stir?" Pedro said.

"Guess so." Rafael said. "If they don't wake up then we may have to make sure some of the medical guys from the Centre find them. I still can't think why they were out there &…"

"Hey, shush." Said Nico, waving a wing at him. "You hear movement?"

They listened, & sure enough the Macaws were beginning to stir.

"All right." Said Rafael. "Now let's take it nice & slow guys. It must've been quite something to knock em out like that, & they may be really disoriented…"

As if to prove his point, there was a thud from inside the tree. It sounded like one of the birds had fallen over.

The trio fluttered to the entrance & peered cautiously inside. The male Scarlet Macaw was still asleep, but the female was awake but collapsed in an untidy heap with her back against the tree wall. She was staring down at her own body as if she had never seen it before.

"Uh, Hello?" Said Rafael cautiously. The female snapped her head up to look at him. "Are you guys ok?" He continued.

The female looked like she couldn't believe what she was seeing, staring wide-eyed at them. She found her voice after a few moments. "…what… what's going on here?" she said, sounding totally bewildered.

Rafael exchanged a quick glance with Nico & Pedro. "Well… that's actually something we were going to ask you. You see…" He proceeded to relate how they had found the 2 of them the previous night.

As he talked, the female Scarlet Macaw alternated staring wide-eyed at him & back down at herself as if she had never seen a Toucan or her own wings before.

"…I…see." She said when he had finished. "Then I guess… I owe you my… our… thanks." She smiled at them, but she still had that stunned look.

"You're welcome." Rafael said. "I'm Rafael by the way, & these 2 are my good friends Nico & Pedro." He indicated them as he spoke. "Mind if I ask you guy's names?"

"Our names? Oh, of course, I'm Linda & my friend here is called Tulio."

"Oh Really?" Said Rafael. "Those are nice names & they happen to be the same as human couple some friends of ours know. Small world huh?"

"Yeah… I guess so." She said smiling at them wanly.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you both. Would you mind telling us how you guys wound up unconscious in a Jeep?" Rafael asked.

She hesitated. "…well, I could tell you what I know." She finally said, "But it doesn't explain everything & I honestly don't think you'd believe me. I can hardly believe it myself."

As they looked at her in surprise, she continued: "I can tell you this though. I'm truly very grateful for your help. With that in mind, would you mind terribly if we leave that subject until I've… that is… we've sorted through it ourselves & found out what really went on?" Her voice had a ring of sincerity in it & she was almost pleading with them.

"Oh… well… how can we turn down such a charming young lady?" Rafael said. He got the distinct impression that she couldn't tell them the truth, but equally did not want to lie to them.

By this time, her friend Tulio was beginning to stir. Glancing at him, Linda said: "Ah… my friend's coming around." She got carefully & rather unsteadily to her claws & taking it one step at time she made her way over to his side.

Glancing up at the trio watching from the entrance, she smiled & said: "Sorry, but would you mind giving me a minute with my friend? He tends to be a bit… excitable. I just need to reassure him that everything's ok & that… what happened to us… hasn't left us too badly off, thanks to your help."

"Sure." Said Rafael. "Well… we'll just be in the neighbouring tree getting some breakfast. Perhaps you'd like to join us in a minute or 2?"

"Sounds good, thanks again." Linda waved her wing at them as she stood next to the awakening Tulio.

The trio withdrew & flew over to the neighbouring fruit tree. As they alighted on the branches, Pedro pointed one wing at his head & made little circling motions as he whistled like a cuckoo.

"Hey, knock it off." Said Rafael firmly. "Sure, it's a little weird that she doesn't want to tell us what went down, but she also seems genuinely grateful for our help & doesn't want to brush us off."

"You gotta admit it's really weird though Ralfi." Said Nico. "What would we not believe? That they're space aliens? That they're time travellers?" What?"

"I don't know." Rafael confessed. "But I'm willing to cut them a bit of slack. I'm sure they'll tell us in due time when we've gotten to know each other a bit better."

"If you say so big guy." Pedro shrugged. "I think we'd best keep on an eye on them though. It's all a bit weird."

"No argument there." Rafael said. He glanced up at the fruit of the tree they were perched in. "Now how about we start getting breakfast huh? Eva, Blu, Jewel & the kids should be joining us soon."

"Right." Said Nico with determination as he adjusted his bottle cap hat. "Action Stations, Guys!"

They commenced with picking the fruit off of the trees & arranging it in a pile at in a clearing at the base. As they were finishing up, they heard the sounds of wings & Blu, Jewel, Eva & all their kids arrived. For the next few moments, things were very busy with a lot of hungry mouths to feed & not much time for small talk.

It was only after they were finishing up & the kids were playing tag with Eva watching over them that Rafael looked up at the Red Macaw's tree with a concerned frown which Blu noticed.

"Something wrong, Rafael?" He asked, following his gaze.

"Oh no, not really." Rafael said. "You see…" He proceeded to quickly fill Blu & Jewel in on their mysterious new acquaintances.

"Wow." Said Jewel. "That's… really weird. Some coincidence on the names too." She added looking across to Blu, who nodded.

"Yeah. I invited them to join us for Breakfast, but they haven't appeared yet. I'd better just go & see they're alright. You want to come & be introduced?"

"Sure thing." Said Blu. "Coming to say hello Jewel?"

She nodded, & they flew up to the tree & were just in time to catch the mysterious tail end of a conversation.

"...them know. Not until we…" Linda was saying quietly but insistently, but she broke off when she heard their approach.

"Oh, Hi again guys." Said Rafael jovially. "Sorry to butt in again, but all the foods nearly gone & we have some new friends we'd like you to meet."

Linda smiled at him with a faint air of resignation. "Of course, Rafael." Linda said. I'm sure any friend of yours would be a friend of ours." she smiled, but that smile froze on her beak as Rafael moved aside & Blu & Jewel, who had been hidden from her line of sight behind him moved into view.

Rafael initially didn't notice her reaction as he was busy with introductions. "Here are 2 more of my good friends Blu & Jewel. Blu & Jewel? Linda & Tulio, the Scarlet Macaw ones that is." He finished with a wink & a smile, sweeping his wing from the Blue Macaws to the Scarlet.

"Nice to meet you." Said Blu jovially & smiled.

"Same here." Said Jewel, & smiled too.

Linda was staring at Blu like she was in a state of shock. Tulio was staring too, but alternating his stare between the birds at the entrance & at Linda. For some reason, he had looked rather shocked at the first words out of Rafael's beak, but his expression now was more of concern as he looked at Linda.

Blu & Jewel's smiles got rather fixed as the seconds ticked by & Linda continued to stare wide-eyed at them . "Is…something wrong?..." Blu finally said, glancing sideways at Rafael & Jewel for support. "Do I still have some fruit on my beak?" he added, brushing at it with his wing.

"Oh no, no." Said Tulio, moving to Linda's side & putting a wing on her shoulder. "It's just… all this has been a bit overwhelming for my friend here." He said, smiling at them reassuringly. "Uh… Linda?... Linda… you're being a bit rude." He moved in front of her & put his other wing on her other shoulder.

He shook her slightly. "Linda? You really need to snap out it. You need to stop staring impolitely at these 2 _new_ friends who you have _never seen before_ right? You need to greet them properly as this is _our first meeting_ & we want to make a good first impression right? Isn't that what we agreed on when meeting people _we don't know_ for the _first time_ eh?"

This seemed to do the trick. Linda focused on him & as his words sank in she said: "…oh…oh, yes of course."

Tulio released her shoulder & stepped back to the side. Linda looked up at the birds looking in at them with puzzled & concerned expressions.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me there, I was most rude. I am very happy to make your acquaintance… Blu & Jewel." She smiled at them.

"Likewise." Said Blu, smiling back at them a little uncertainly. "Are… you guys feeling O.K?"

"Oh of course, of course." Linda said. "Tulio & I are still a bit disoriented, but I'm sure it'll pass. I must thank you all for your help & your most kind welcome."

They all smiled at each other as the awkward moment passed. Just then there was sound of wings & Blu & Jewel's chicks joined their parents on the branch outside the tree.

"Dad!" said one of the boys. "You said you'd play tag with us!"

"Sure thing Andre." Said Blu smiling down at him. "Just one second, we were saying hello to our new fiends here." He looked up at Tulio & Linda, who were watching the kids bother their parents with expressions that if he was a suspicious type (which he wasn't) he would have called carefully controlled. "Here are my sons Andre & Paulo & my daughter Gia. Won't you say hello to Linda & Tulio kids?"

As they chorused hello & Tulio & Linda returned the greeting, they then went back to tugging on his wing & another voice was heard a little way off calling for Rafael.

"Oh, that's Eva my wife." Rafael said. "I need to help her get those kids of mine in order." He looked back at Tulio & Linda. "Well, if you're feeling up to it & they don't mind, why don't you let Pedro & Nico here show you around? We can meet up later if you want. That O.K. with you guys?" he addressed this last to Nico & Pedro.

"Fine with us, Ralfi." said Pedro & Nico nodded.

"Until later guys!" Called Rafael as he flapped off towards the summoning voice. Blu & Jewel made their apologies & exit to play with their kids, leaving the 2 Scarlet Macaws with the Cardinal & the Canary.

"So!" said Pedro, clapping his wings together & rubbing his feathers. "You guys ready for some food? There's a good spread down by the bottom of the tree, you know."

Linda & Tulio glanced at each other. "That sounds good, thank you." Said Linda.

"O.K. Then. Come shake a wing & let's get down there." He said, gesturing for them to follow him as he & Nico moved away from the Tree entrance.

Linda & Tulio followed them, but as they reached the edge of the tree hollow & looked down at the drop to the ground they both hesitated.

"Something wrong guys?" Said Nico as he hovered in the air just outside the hole.

"Oh no, not at all." Said Linda. "We're still just a bit… stiff. But this should be no problem at all right? Not for 2 birds like us. After all, it's not like flying is hard, right?" She smiled brightly.

"I wouldn't say so." Said Nico. "But you'd be surprised if you'd asked Blu that when he first came here!" He & Pedro both laughed. "You'll have to ask him about that sometime." He finished jovially.

"Yes, I…I will. I'm sure it's quite a story." Said Linda glancing at Tulio.

She climbed up on the edge of the opening, gripping it firmly with her claws. She spread her wings & after seemingly gauging her balance for a few moments & exchanging another look with Tulio (who looked a little concerned, but said nothing) a determined expression settled on her face & she leapt off.

Her flight was bit erratic, almost like she had never done it before, but she managed to stay stable in the air & landed with only a little bit of stumbling down in the clearing.

"Whoa!" She said. "That… that was awesome!"

Pedro & Nico had never seen a bird so enthused about such a simple thing as flying down from a tree. Even Blu was more restrained about it back when he first showed them he could finally fly.

"You were right Tulio!" she called out as she waved her wing up at him peering down at her from the tree. "Natural instinct takes over! Come on down, don't be afraid!"

"Almost always." Tulio muttered cryptically as he climbed up on the edge of the opening. He spread his wings in turn, & after a few practice flaps he too set his face determinedly & launched off the edge.

Like her, his flight was a bit erratic, but he also held it together & landed relatively well down in the clearing by her side.

"Whoa!" he said in his turn. "Absolutely fantastic!"

Watching the 2 birds so aglow about such a simple act, Pedro hovered a little closer to Nico & said in a low voice: "I think these 2 might be a couple-a grapes short of bunch, if ya know what I mean."

As they saw the 2 of them giving them odd looks, the Scarlet Macaws seemed to sober up.

"Oh, sorry about that." Said Linda smiling at them. "I guess we just got a little bit… carried away."

"Guess so." Said Nico. "So… uh, you hungry?" he said indicating the remainder of the fruit breakfast he & the others had gathered earlier."

Linda & Tulio nodded & opening their wings again they flew over to it despite the short distance (almost as if they just really wanted to fly again), but as they stood over an untouched mango they hesitated briefly, before Tulio steadied it with his wings & took a bite.

As he tasted it, he suddenly froze with his eyes widening. He looked back down at the mango.

"Tulio? What's wrong? It looks alright &…" Linda began but stopped suddenly as Tulio rapidly swallowed his bite of the fruit & dived ravenously back into it.

"…mmm!... Linda!... You gotta… try this!" he said between swallows. "I've never tasted…mmm… fruit so good!"

Looking at him wide-eyed as he devoured the fruit like someone who had been starved for days, Linda selected another Mango & cautiously took a bite.

Same reaction. She too went wide-eyed & then started to devour the fruit like she had never tasted anything so good in all her life.

Watching wide-eyed as the 2 Scarlet Macaws messily devoured the food, Pedro met Nico's gaze & pointed his wing feather at his head again & slowly rotated it.

* * *

"Told you it would work." Said Ana.

"You sure did. Thanks again Ana." Replied Jules.

The 2 of them were in a covered transportation cage, on their way to be released back into the forest. There had obviously been some head scratching, questions asked & rechecking of paperwork when the researchers had come across Jules when they came into the Centre. Nobody could figure out where he had come from, but Ana had played the part of being affectionate towards him by rubbing her head against him & cooing (which Jules found a little disconcerting, but accepted it as necessary part of her plan to get him released) & making a show of mild displeasure when he was removed for examination, so when he patiently & good-naturally allowed the researchers to examine him & he came up completely clear the researchers just shrugged & returned him to her cage to be released with her.

Jules was still checking himself over, flexing his wings & examining his body. Ana asked him why.

"I still can't believe that I now have this body." He answered. "I mean, I've studied the structure of the avian form & examined dozens of birds, but it's a totally different & unique experience to be on the other side as the bird actually being examined."

"The guy who examined you didn't seem too bad. He said you were a perfect specimen too, so at least whatever happened to you has given you that."

A quick wince sped across Jules' face. "Yeah, I don't think it was totally necessary to yank open my beak & wings that roughly though. I'm sure I was gentler than that with my charges."

"You certainly were with me." Said Ana smiling at him.

At this point there was movement outside the cage & it was picked up. "Here we go." Ana said softly.

The cage was carried for a while & put down again. Voices came from outside the cover.

"Here's the 2 Scarlet Macaws scheduled for release." said one which Jules recognized as Miguel, one of the other researchers.

"Ah yes, Ana & her mysterious friend." Said the other, who Jules recognized as Gloria.

"I've been over all the paperwork & asked the other researchers." Came Miguel's voice again. "Nobody knows a thing about him. Has Tulio left any notes or anything about another Scarlet Macaw being brought in?"

"No." Said Gloria. "But then nobody's seen him this morning."

"Really?" said Miguel. "That's odd. He's usually in pretty early. I thought it was weird when he & Linda didn't show up to the party last night too. It's not like him to miss a party & not send word."

Listening to this, Jules looked worried & glanced at Ana. She looked sympathetic, but shook her head firmly. "Patience. We'll find them." She said softly.

"His Mobile is off & no-one answering at his home, either." Gloria continued. "I know Fernando is off for a few days on a school trip, so I was wondering if he & Linda took the opportunity to take some time off together too."

"Without telling anyone?" said Miguel. "That also doesn't sound like Tulio."

"Well, I'm inclined to give it a bit more time before becoming concerned." Said Gloria. "Let's see if he turns up or checks in today before we start getting the authorities involved."

"You're the boss." Miguel replied. "I get on with releasing these 2 then."

The cage was picked up again & Jules & Ana could tell they were exiting the Centre by changes in light & sound outside the cover. There was a metallic bump as they were placed down again, & then the sound of an engine starting.

Jules looked across at Ana again. "We _must_ find them Ana." He said firmly. "Something's happened to them, possibly the same thing that's happened to me. We need to make sure they're ok, & what's more finding out exactly what has happened to them should give me valuable data to work on as to what happened & how to undo it."

"Relax." Ana replied. "I told you I had a plan, didn't I? As long as you're up to flying, I know just where we need to go & who we need to see."

"…Flying… oh yeah." Said Jules, looking at his wings again.

"You picked it up pretty fast while practicing in the cage." She reassured him. "This will just be… a whole lot bigger."

"It certainly seems the case that my avian body is fully capable of flight." Jules mused. He looked thoughtful, bringing a wing feather up under his beak & another up against the side of his face in an unconsciously human gesture. "That may also be a valuable indicator. If the form is fully developed without experience or practice, that may point to a mature genetic extrapolation from the DNA sample I used in the compilation mix & so…" & went on for 5 minutes.

Ana let him babble on as they continued their journey. She had often heard him talk about his work during their exam sessions & she didn't mind being used as sounding board, even if most of what he said made no sense to her. Besides, working on his problem would help take his mind off of worrying about Linda, Tulio & his own situation & may even help on his way to a solution.

After Jules had finally exhausted his back & forth self-analysis of possible scenarios & solutions & had gone quiet, the vehicle stopped, the engine was turned off & the cage was lifted again.

"Here we are." Said Ana shifting from side to side & ruffling her wings. "You ready?"

"Y…Yeah, I think so." Said Jules looking both excited & nervous.

"Just remember your practice." She said reassuringly. "I can see you've got the capability, just don't overthink or panic. Let it come naturally."

Jules nodded, & they waited tensely as the cage was carried into a building, up some stairs & emerged into the light again where it was set down. The cover was then removed & Jules & Ana blinked at the bright light.

The cage was placed on the edge of a tall observation tower in the middle of the jungle. Miguel folded up the cover & peered in at them. "You guys ready to go home?" he asked. Ana responded with "Sure thing!" which Jules knew Miguel would just hear as a squawk. She fidgeted around in the cage, eager to get going.

"Alright then." Miguel responded. He unlatched the cage, opened the door & stood back. Ana stepped out & Jules followed her. She spread her wings & aimed herself at the edge. A moment later she had hopped off the edge & flapped off into the sky.

Miguel looked down from her retreating form to Jules, still perched on the edge of the platform, looking worriedly down at the treetops.

"Something wrong, little guy?" he asked. "Aren't you going with your friend?"

Jules glanced from him to Ana, hovering a short distance away & looking back at him. He put on a determined expression, spread his wings & taking a deep breath, he too launched himself off the edge.

It was a disconcerting feeling to hurl himself off a drop like that. Despite the fact that he knew his new body was built for it, he still had to fight down the urge to panic in that moment after he leapt off the edge but before his wings caught the air.

But catch they did. By using a combination of the new instincts he seemed to have acquired & his knowledge of how flight for birds worked he was able to start out in a glide, but then by flapping his wings & angling his tail he was able to soar up above the trees to where Ana was hovering. Beating his wings, he was then able to hover next to her.

"Alright, Jules!" she said. "You see? It's not so hard!"

"It's… It's awesome! I'm really flying!" he said, face aglow.

"C'mon!" she said. "This way!" she flapped away & Jules followed her.

As they flew over the forest, Jules gazed down in awe & wonder at the sight spread out below them. There was the forest, but from their height he could also clearly see the statue overlooking the city, the city itself & the sun sparkling off of the water from the sea.

"…Wow…" he breathed as he & Ana glided along, flapping occasionally to maintain height. "This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen…"

"You'd be surprised how many say that the first time." Ana observed wryly as she flew alongside him.

They continued on their course, Ana going on ahead every now & then to alert Jules as to the route they were taking. When they had passed by the city & the statue was behind them she came up alongside him again & Jules' curiosity finally overtook his wonder. "Where are we going anyway?" he asked.

"To see the one bird in the jungle who knows almost everyone & everything that goes on. He's kind of an unofficial leader & he's a pretty nice guy too. He arranged for me to be found by you guys when I hurt my wing."

"Really?" Jules was suitably impressed. "Sounds like he really has it together."

"Oh, yeah. He always has the best interests of the other birds in the jungle at heart. Just be polite & friendly & I'm sure you'll get on. Oh, by the way, I wouldn't let on who you really are. Just let them think you're an acquaintance of mine who's new to the area."

"Oh… Yeah, sure." Said Jules frowning. "They probably wouldn't believe it anyway. Hey, I can still scarcely believe it."

"Me neither." She said. "Seeing you flying along with me now, it's almost impossible to believe you're the same guy who put my wing in a splint & tended to it. You look just like a regular Macaw."

"Well, that should help me blend in at least." He smiled at her, & she smiled back.

They flew on a bit further & Ana said: "Ah, this is the right area. We need to land just in that circle of trees over to the left. The ones near the fruit trees."

"I see it." Jules said. "Let's hope landings come as naturally as flying…" he said as they angled downwards towards the spot Ana had pointed out. They swooped down, & though a little graceless, Jules managed to land alongside Ana on the branch of a tree. They immediately became aware that they had arrived right in the middle of something going on.

In the clearing under the tree, a number of birds were gathered. A Toucan was apparently having a conversation with 2 other Scarlet Macaws, while another Toucan with some chicks, 2 Blue Macaws with their chicks & a Cardinal & a Canary looked on.

"…be best for you guys to get checked over, that's all." He was saying to them reassuringly. "You might…" here he broke off as they all noticed Ana & Jules' arrival.

Seeing all those gazes turned to him, Jules was tongue-tied, but Ana stepped in: "Hey Rafael!" she called, waving her wing. "I'm back!"

"Ana!" said Rafael warmly. "So good to see you, & your wing is all better? Great! Your timing is perfect too… but oh, who's your friend?"

Ana fluttered down from the branch & Jules followed, stumbling a little on landing & causing the Cardinal & the Canary to exchange glances.

"This is Jules." Ana said indicating him with a sweep of her wing. "We met in the Centre & he's new to the area. I'm showing him around so he can get his bearings." The 2 other Scarlet Macaws exchanged glances.

"Pleased to meet you Jules." said Rafael amicably & Jules returned the greeting. "Let's get everyone introduced." He went round, introducing everyone by name & Jules greeted them back.

He left the 2 Scarlet Macaws until last. "…& here we have 2 new friends as well. This is Linda & Tulio, who we found in rather mysterious circumstances last night."

Jules looked at them wide-eyed & they looked back, mirroring his expression. "…oh, really?... It's… nice to meet you… or…have we met before…maybe…someplace?" He said jerkily.

Linda responded similarly. "…Yeah, it's…nice to meet you too…Jules…I can't quite recall, but I think… we have met…somewhere…before? Something about…proper procedure?" She looked across at Tulio, who nodded vigorously.

Jules glanced at the other birds, who looked puzzled at their exchange (except for Ana). "Oh, yes, yes, of course…I remember now. This is a very happy…coincidence for me Rafael. I know these 2 from…some time back, but we'd lost touch recently."

"That's right." Said Tulio smiling at him. "And we have…so much to catch up on Jules. I hope we can have a nice long _chat_ later." From the look Tulio was giving him, Jules got the distinct impression that if Tulio had had knuckles, he'd be cracking them.

"I'm sure they'll be time for that." Rafael broke in cheerfully. "As I was saying though, we were just recommending to Linda & Tulio that they should go get checked out at the Centre. They were pretty zonked out from something last night but they can't seem to recall what happened. Maybe it's best for them to get a check-up huh Ana?" He appealed to her. "They took good care of you, right? Just like I said they would?"

"They sure did Rafael." Ana said a little apologetically. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you when you tried to reassure me. They took good care of me there, healed me up & let me go, just like you said they would."

"Well then…" Rafael began, but Ana continued: "but I don't think it's necessary for these 2 to get checked over. They look in great shape to me, & I'm sure any…peculiarities in their behaviour are just some temporary lingering effects of…their experiences. Am I right guys?" she appealed to them with a furtive & barely noticeable flick of her eyes in Jules' direction & back to them.

They took note of it. "Oh, of course!" Linda said brightly. "Just as we were saying to Rafael, we're fine. Just a bit...disoriented, but I'm sure that'll wear off. In fact, me & Tulio feel good enough to take on the world, right Tulio?"

He assented, & Rafael shrugged. "Oh, well. If that's how you feel, I guess you should know." His good humour returned. "Still, now that's out of the way it's really nice to have some new faces around here. And so close to Carnival too! I hope you guys will join in on the fun. Maybe after you've taken a look around?"

"Oh, we'll see how they feel Rafael." Ana said. "I wouldn't rule out anything at this point though, as Jules is still…finding his feet, as it were & I'm sure Linda & Tulio feel the same. Right guys?" she appealed to them & they nodded.

Rafael shrugged again. "Anything you say guys. You'll miss out on a swell party if you sit it out though. My compadres here can always be trusted for that, eh guys?" He addressed Pedro & Nico who bumped wings with him & Nico said "You know it Ralfi!"

"Well!" said Linda brightly. "We have so much that we really want to discuss with Jules & Ana here. Would you guys mind if we have a moment alone with them? I'm sure we can catch up later right?" she smiled at them.

Rafael, Eva, Blu & Jewel all assented & Jules, Ana, Linda & Tulio spread their wings & flew off (a little erratically) to have their chat.

* * *

As the Scarlet Macaws flew off, Pedro looked at Rafael & said: "You don't suppose it's something going around Scarlet Macaws do ya Ralfi?"

Rafael shrugged. "If they all know each other from way back, maybe they're just all like that. We've only just met them though, so let's just see how it turns out ok guys?"

They assented, but as Rafael & Eva went to play with their kids & Nico & Pedro took their leave back to the city, Blu noticed that Jewel had a doubtful look on her face.

"What is it Jewel? Something wrong? Are you worried about our new acquaintances?"

"There's something going on with those 4." Jewel replied firmly. "I get the feeling they're hiding something from us, & that makes me uneasy."

Blu shrugged. "I admit, their behaviour is a little odd. From the way Pedro & Nico described it, it was like they've never flown or tasted real fruit before." He paused. "Just like me, when I first came here…" he said thoughtfully.

"Your first experience of real fruit is one I'll never forget." Jewel said with a touch of humour. "But I don't think it's likely that these guys were p…companions." She amended quickly as Blu shot her a warning look. "No, there's something else going on." She continued. She looked up at the direction the Scarlet Macaws had disappeared in. "And I've got a good mind to find out what it is." She said firmly.

Blu looked uncertain. "You're not suggesting spying on them are you?"

Jewel met his gaze squarely. "This is the safety & security of our home & kids we're talking about here Blu." She said firmly. She glanced down at their kids playing tic-tac-toe with their claws in the dirt. "And when it comes to that, I'd be willing to do anything."

"I think you're being a bit overdramatic." Said Blu, but without much conviction.

"We'll see about that." She said.


	4. Chapter 4

**No, this isn't a crossover story. The Doctor's name is a clue to the manner in which the change has been affected. No Wristbands here... (yet) move along...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rio or any other properties that I may make oblique references or name drops to.**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

The 4 Scarlet Macaws landed at the base of a secluded tree. One perfect & pinpoint & the other 3 a little uncertainly & with stumbling. "This should do." Said Tulio. He looked at Ana & hesitated.

"It's all right." She said, correctly interpreting his look. "It happened to Jules right in front of me. I know all about it & you can speak freely. It won't go any further."

"Oh, ok then." Said Tulio relieved. He rounded on Jules. "You have a lot, _lot_ LOT of explaining to do mister!" He said, jabbing his wing feather at him empathically.

"I'll say." Linda added.

Jules spread his wings in a helpless gesture. "Tulio, Linda, I…I'm so sorry." He began. "I swear to you, this was _not_ my intent! My formula was never supposed to do anything like this! And I…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Tulio cut him off. "Do you mean to say to us you don't know how this happened? And that you therefore don't know how to undo it?" he finished angrily.

"No!, I…I mean yes, I don't know exactly how it occurred, but based on what Ana told me about seeing me change & seeing that you're Scarlet Macaws too confirms some theories I've formed as to the likely cause, & with that as a base I can start working on a counter! I promise you that I can figure it out!"

"You'd better be right Jules. But how long will it take?" Tulio demanded. "We were certainly missed at the party, & I intended to be in the Centre this morning catching up with the researchers! As fascinating as this whole experience is, people will wonder what's become of us!"

"I'm just glad Fernando's away on school trip." Said Linda. "Otherwise he'd probably be frantic by now."

"I just need some time to work." Jules insisted. "Just some writing materials & I…can…" he came to a stop as he spread his wing & looked down at his blue primary feathers.

"You'll have to use your claws Jules." Ana interjected smoothly. "I've seen Blu do it that way when he's been teaching his kids how to read & write."

"He has?" Linda's face lit up. "Oh, that's wonderful!" she said bringing her wings together in joy. "I'd hoped that was his intent when he wanted those books, pencils & paper from the Bookstore."

"Perhaps he'd lend me some?" said Jules uncertainly. "But…he's sure to wonder what I want them for, & can I let him or any of them see what I'm working on? I feel like they find our behaviour odd enough already, & although they almost certainly won't understand my workings, they're sure to find them a strange thing for a Macaw to be working on."

As Jules, Tulio & Linda looked uncertain, pondering the dilemma, Ana spoke again: "Perhaps you could tell them the truth?"

They all looked at her, & then at each other. "Can we?" Jules said. "Will they even believe us if we do?"

"Rafael seems to think there's something wrong with us already; based on us not telling him what happened last night & our subsequent behaviour this morning." Tulio said. "He seems to take his role as the leader & guide of the jungle birds seriously, & he may insist on us going to Centre if he thinks we're ill or crazy."

"I would prefer to tell them the truth." Said Linda. She continued as they all looked at her: "I don't want to have to lie to them, & a lie of omission is still a lie. We should come clean, & if they believe us we can finally talk openly to them, which would be wonderful. But if they don't & they do want us to leave, I'm sure we can find somewhere else for Jules to work."

"Well said." Said a voice from high above them.

They all whirled round in surprise & looked up at the unexpected interruption. Jewel emerged from behind some concealing leaves on an upper branch & stood looking down at them.

They stared at her in shock & she met their gazes challengingly. Tulio was the first to find his voice. "How…how long have you been there?"

"Oh, I came in just at the point when Jules was talking about 'a strange thing for a Macaw to be working on.'" she said casually. "Most interesting. I agree with Ana & Linda by the way. You really should stop beating around the bush & tell us what's up with all of you."

Linda had recovered from her shock & propped her wings against her flanks. "It's not nice to eavesdrop, Jewel." She said crossly.

"It's also not nice to hide important information from those who are only trying to help you & be your friends." Jewel retorted. "I knew you guys were hiding something, & I have the well-being of my kids to think of, so while I'm glad you were considering coming forward of your own accord, I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist. Spill it you guys, what's going on?"

Jules, Tulio & Linda looked at each other again while Ana looked on sympathetically. They knew they were cornered.

Linda sighed. "Fine Jewel. You win. We'll go back & tell everyone what happened. And if you don't believe us or think we're crazy, we'll just clear out & sort things out ourselves. I hope that doesn't happen though as…" she hesitated.

"What?" said Jewel, her stern expression somewhat softened.

"…as I would really like to get to know you." Linda finished slowly. "I never had the chance…before."

Jewel put her head on one side, looking puzzled. "Before? What do you mean? I'm pretty sure we haven't met before now…have we?"

"Let's leave that until we're talking to everyone together." Tulio broke in. "I think its best we tell everyone all at the same time."

Linda, Ana & Jules nodded in agreement, & with a shrug Jewel agreed too: "Fine. Can we go & get on with it then?"

"Of course." Linda said. She spread her wings & said to the others: "C'mon guys. Time to own up & see where things go." She took the air & started heading back to the meeting area.

With a glance at the others Tulio followed her, & after exchanging a worried but resigned look with Ana, Jules & she took off too & Jewel followed after them.

* * *

"Rafael, Eva, can we have a word with you a moment?"

Rafael, who was giving his kids a ride on his back & beak, looked up at Linda, who was making the request with a very strange expression on her face. It looked like a mixture of worry & hope.

"Certainly Linda." He said affably. He dislodged his kids with a few "aww's" of protest, & he & Eva followed her back to the clearing where the rest of the birds were gathered. Blu was quietly saying something apologetically to Tulio, Jules & Ana, but they were waving whatever it was off graciously while Jewel was standing by his side, looked triumphant & slightly defiant.

Rafael was struck by the grave looks all the Scarlet Macaws were wearing. "Whoa." He said. "What's with the downer vibe? You guys look like you're on your way to a funeral or something."

Linda smiled at him wanly. "Oh, nothing that bad." She said. "We do have something to confess to all of you though. Something you may find hard to believe, but I promise you it's the truth."

Rafael, Eva, Blu & Jewel exchanged looks. "Well that's…intriguing." Said Rafael. I take it this where you finally tell us what happened to you guys last night?"

"Yes." Said Linda simply.

"Ok then. Fire away." Rafael said.

But Linda didn't seem to know how to start. She took a deep breath, but then seemed to be tongue-tied. "Well…you see…the thing is…that is to say…we…I…" she stopped.

Looking at her with concern, Rafael suggested: "Perhaps you could just start at the beginning?"

Linda jumped at the suggestion. "The Beginning! Of course. Well…"she paused briefly & then continued: "Have you guys heard about research project being undertaken at the Centre?"

Rafael was surprised at the unexpected direction this was taking, but responded: "Why, yes. Blu was telling us about it at dinner last night. Right Blu?" He said looking across at him.

"Yeah. Linda…that is, my Linda, told me about it yesterday." Blu said frowning. "But what's that got to do with…"

"I'm coming to that." Linda cut in. "Well…last night the researcher went ahead & created the formula. Without permission, I might add." She added frowning across at Jules, who looked down sheepishly. "There was an…accident, & we…that is, myself, Tulio & Jules were all exposed to it."

"Rafael looked concerned. "Oh, my! That must be why you were all zonked out. Is that why you were in the vehicle? They must have been taking you somewhere for treatment. I'm sure it was an accident, mind you, I can't imagine anyone at the Centre exposing you deliberately to…" he stopped as Linda shook her head empathically.

"It's not like that Rafael." She said. "After we were exposed, we felt fine. We didn't even realise that we had been exposed." She hesitated again, & then finished in a rush. "We were concerned about the fact the researcher was flouting the rules for testing. We let him have a piece of our minds & then we went out in the Jeep to get to a party while leaving him to clean up. As we were travelling along we realised we had been exposed & were about to get help, when we passed out. That was when you found us."

Rafael & the other birds exchanged puzzled looks. He looked back at Linda. "Uh…you were making sense right up until the 'giving a piece of your mind' & 'going out in a Jeep' parts. The researcher wouldn't have been able to understand you, & last time I checked they don't give driving licenses to birds. Are you sure you're not remembering things incorrectly?"

Linda cast a helpless look at Tulio, Jules & Ana. Ana stepped forward & laid a wing on Linda's shoulder. "Just say it." She said gently. The other 2 nodded.

Linda turned back to the others. "O.K." she said. She paused again & then her face brightened as an idea seemed to strike her. She turned to Blu & said: "Blu, do you remember before you came to Rio, when you & Linda were sitting in the doorway of the flat above Blue Macaw Books & you weren't happy about coming?"

Blu was completely taken aback by this. "Wha…what?…how…how did you know about that? We were alone & I've never told anyone about it. How did you know?"

Linda continued: "Linda knew you weren't happy. So…she said: 'I promised I would always look out for you, didn't I? & have I ever broken a promise?' That's right isn't it?"

Blu stared at her, at a loss for words. She continued: "She went on: 'I'm scared too, but I wouldn't make you do this if it wasn't the right thing to do.' That's right too, isn't it?

Blu continued staring at her. "How…how could you know that?..."

Linda took another deep breath, looked up at Blu & said: "Well? Was she…that is…was _I_ right Blu? Was coming to Rio the right thing for you to do? Sure you got kidnapped, but you found love, friends, learned how to fly & have a family in the jungle where you were meant to be. So, was I right to make you come here my big, brave boy?" Linda shifted her weight, & held up one claw towards Blu with the toes curled up, making a rudimentary fist. He stared at it, & then met her gaze squarely.

"Linda?..." he said in a tone of wonder. He made to move forward, but Jewel half put out her wing.

"…Blu…wait…we don't…that is…it can't…" she began incoherently, confusion written on her features.

Blu gently pushed her wing aside. "It's alright Jewel…" he moved slowly towards Linda & her still upheld claw. As he reached her, she deliberately & carefully touched her claw to his beak & then as she lowered it & he held up his claw too, they bumped them together in a slow, but deliberate pattern, ending with them both mimicking an explosion.

All the others except Tulio just gawped at this strange display, unable to make head nor tail of it.

As Blu recovered, his face was suffused with joy as he said: "Linda! It really is you! But why…how…how is it even possible…"

Linda smiled at him & said: "Ask our friend Jules here." She nodded over at him. "He's the researcher I was telling you about yesterday."

Jules smiled sheepishly & shrugged his wings. "Uh, yeah. That's me. This wasn't what my formula was supposed to do, but I suppose it did at least achieve my object of allowing humans to understand birds."

Rafael finally emerged from his stupor. "Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, hold up a minute here guys." He said spreading his wings in a conciliatory gesture & attempting a smile. "You can't seriously be trying to tell me that you guys are humans? That's just…I mean, that's not…" words failed him.

"It's true Rafael." Ana said. "I wouldn't have believed it either, but when I was woken last night by Jules collapsing against my cage, I saw it happen. One moment a human was sprawled out on the floor, & the next there was flash of bluish-white light & there was this Scarlet Macaw there instead." She finished, indicating Jules.

"If wouldn't have believed such a thing was possible either." Jules confessed. "My project had nothing to do with changing the entire form, just a minor enhancement to one specific part of the brain. Nothing…that is, almost nothing in my entire catalogue of research suggested that this kind of effect was even possible!"

At his momentary hesitation however, attention was riveted on him from all present. "What do you mean 'almost' Jules?" Tulio inquired.

Jules put his head on one side. "Well…there was one researcher in America called Dr Benjamin Tennyson who had some pretty wild theories about the synergy between energy signatures & DNA patterns, which form part of the unique composition of my formula. No-one took him seriously mind you, as he could provide no means of proving or even testing his theories. I've been thinking about it this morning though, & it's only by accepting them that what happened to us 3 makes any sense. It certainly seems like I've hit upon by accident the very thing he was trying to do by design."

"It seems so." Tulio agreed. "I remember now, reading in the Research journals that he was pretty much laughed at by the entire scientific community. Is this what you meant when you said you had some theories to start working on a counter?"

"Yes. I'm sure the answer lies in the fact that I used one of Ana's feathers as the DNA sample in the Compilation Matrix. That would explain why we're all Scarlet Macaws & working from that & factoring in Dr Tennyson's research I'm sure I can figure out what happened & how to reverse it."

"And that's where we were hoping you could help us out Blu." Linda said, turning back to the slightly stunned group of birds & addressing him directly. "Jules needs some writing materials & some help with how to write with his new body. Could you please lend him some of the writing materials you took from my Bookstore & give him some pointers on how to use them?"

"What?...Oh…Oh!...yeah sure, that's no problem!" Blu said, still rather knocked sideways by the revelation of her identity, but recovering rapidly & beaming at them as he continued. "Anything for you Linda, you know that. And, perhaps after I've got him all set, I could show you guys around? We have so much to talk about & I'd love to show you our home for however long you might be here. This is just such an amazing opportunity to talk to you guys, &…"

"Uh, Blu, could you hang on just one second?" Jewel said rapidly coming up alongside him & cutting him off. "Could you come over here &…& talk with me just a moment?" she said pulling him gently but firmly away by the wing. She looked up at the 4 Scarlet Macaws as she was doing so. "I just need to have a short chat with Blu here." She said smiling at them. "Please excuse us."

Without waiting for an answer, she half led, half dragged Blu over to Rafael & Eva.

The 4 birds then put their heads together & then in tones too low for the Scarlet Macaws to hear Jewel said urgently: "Blu, what are you doing? You can't be buying their crackpot story can you?"

"I gotta agree Amigo." Rafael said in a low voice. "This is just too…well…it's…there's gotta be something wrong with these guys is what I'm saying, & Ana must've come down with too."

"But how else could she know those things?" Blu protested, matching their low tones. "The Research Project & my taking stuff from the Bookstore, yes she might possibly have heard about somehow, but I've never told anyone about our conversation back in Minnesota, & she got it exactly right! Word for word!"

"Well…" Jewel began, but stopped, flummoxed. Rafael & Eva couldn't come up with a good answer either.

"See?" said Blu firmly. "I know how weird it is, but I've felt from the moment I met them that there was something familiar about those 2, & looking into her eyes just then & doing our claw-bump I'm sure of it. It's her."

Rafael shook his head, still disbelieving. He opened his beak to say something, but was forestalled.

"Hey! Uh Guys, little help?" Ana called over to them.

They all looked over at her & saw that their kids, taking advantage of their parent's momentary distraction, had the 3 Scarlet Macaws surrounded, backed up against a tree & were peppering them with questions.

The young Blue Macaws had focussed on Linda & Tulio, & were asking: "Are you really humans? What's it like not to have feathers? Are you really Auntie Linda? What was Dad like?" & such, but Jules had the most intense & excited interrogation with the young Toucans showering him with questions like: "Are you a Wizard? What kind of magic did you use? Tell us how you did it! I wanna be a Spoonbill! No, me! I asked first! Tell us how it works! Go on, Tell us!"

The 3 were pressed up against the tree with their wings wrapped around themselves protectively but looking totally lost under the relentless barrage of questions. They gave the adult birds a beseeching look.

They hurried over to the rescue, Eva & Jewel taking charge of their excited offspring.

"Kids, kids, c'mon now, don't bother our guests." Eva said, gently pulling & pushing the group of young toucans away. "I know what you heard must've been… very exciting, but it's a grown-up matter that…we're sorting out. There's not going to be any species switching to order around here… _Is there_." She finished with a stern glare at Jules.

"Oh… no! no, certainly not." Jules agreed hurriedly.

"Good." She said. "Now come on, Marco, Carlos, Sophia…" she rapidly rattled off their names as she herded her disappointed kids away.

Jewel for her part had a different problem. "C'mon now, Gia, Paulo, Andre, you don't want to bother these guys." She said as she also herded her kids away from the Scarlet Macaws.

They weren't going without satisfying their curiosity though. "But is it true Mom?" Paulo asked her. "Is that really Auntie Linda?"

That was the one question Jewel didn't want to have to answer right now. "Well…" she said, glancing between them & the Scarlet Macaws.

Blu stepped in as she hesitated. "It sure is son. I know it's quite a bit to accept, & I don't really understand how it's possible, but that's you r Aunt all right."

Jewel silently regretted allowing Blu to attach that honorary "Aunt" tag to Linda. She had thought there was no harm in it, but there could be now with this Scarlet Macaw claiming (rightly or wrongly) her identity.

Recovering from their interrogation by the young birds, Linda looked at Blu with an expression of amusement. "_Auntie_ Linda?" she queried.

Blu looked embarrassed. "Oh, well… you know, family & all…never thought I'd have to explain it to you…" he mumbled.

"Oh, I'm honoured Blu..." She said. Her gaze slid across to Jewel & took note of her slightly vexed expression. "…But I think we need to get Jules going on his work, don't you?"

"Oh, sure." Blu said happily. "This works out anyway as its almost time for school."

His kids groaned on hearing this & Linda perked up, interested. "School?" she said. "Ana mentioned something about that. Is this what you wanted the writing materials for?"

"Oh, you bet." Said Blu, gratified at her interest. "As you know, reading & writing are as important to me as they are to you, & I'm going to make sure these guys have a good grounding in those subjects."

Ignoring the chagrined look on the young Macaw's faces, Linda smiled at him. "That is excellent Blu. I'm proud of you."

As the 2 smiled at each other Jewel broke in: "Yes! Well, we really should get this little endeavour under way then, if Blu's so set on it." She said a little archly.

Blu either didn't notice her tone or chose to ignore it. "Sure thing!" he said cheerfully. He addressed his kids. "Well class, it appears we have a new student today." He indicated Jules with his wing "He'll probably need to be run through the basics, so today I'll be helping him out while you to continue where we left off on the book _"Miguel & the Sandcastle"_. That alright with you Jules?"

"Absolutely Blu. I need to get up to speed a.s.a.p so I can get to work on undoing what I've done to Linda & Tulio & get us all back to normal." Jules replied.

"Good. C'mon then students! To the classroom!" Blu had clearly slipped into a role he was enjoying, that of a teacher. "Do you want to observe guys?" he asked Linda & Tulio. "I don't mind, though I must ask you to keep any questions or comments until the end of the session." He said importantly.

Linda & Tulio clearly did, but before they could say so Jewel cut in. "Oh, I'm sure they do Blu, but while you're getting on with that I just want to have a chat with them on the side-lines. A friendly one." She added quickly as Blu gave her a warning look.

"…Uh, ok then." He said. His confident manner flagged slightly but was then recharged. "C'mon guys! Class is in session!" He said herding his reluctant kids & the willing Jules towards his tree with his wings.

He wasn't home free just yet though. Rafael gently intercepted him just before they left the clearing. "Uh, Blu, you sure about this Amigo? About…these guys?" he indicated Jules, Linda & Tulio with one sweep of his wing.

Blu sighed. "Yeah.. Ralfi look, I know you're having trouble with all this, but I'm sure there's nothing to worry about." He lowered his voice. "But I promise I'll be careful & keep an eye on them ok? Its… just remotely possible its some kind of trick & I'll watch out for anything suspicious."

"Well, thanks Amigo that's all I can ask." Said Rafael, somewhat mollified. He watched as the group of Macaws headed towards his tree & as they all opened their wings & took flight in that direction (The Macaws-claiming-to-be-human still with that awkward & graceless manner he'd noticed before) he turned his attention back to his family with a thoughtful look on his face.


	5. Chapter 5

**The next part of my story. I have a general outline mapped out including a conclusion, but new ideas keep boiling up like meat in a stewpot. I'm also trying to keep the story & characters as accurate to the film as possible & have run into a little roadblock with my villain (who hasn't appeared yet) so i'll have to do some serious thinking about his presence.**

**Disclaimer: My Lawyers tell me I still don't own Rio or any other property. Pfft. I don't know what I pay those guys for.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

The Macaws landed in Blu & Jewel's tree. Jules, Linda & Tulio still with that awkwardness that drew Blu to comment: "Hey, you guys ok? Flying takes some getting used to huh?"

They agreed, but Jules went further saying: "Yeah. It's just like Ana was saying to me just before we flew over here. We're all physically capable of it & we seem to have the instincts too, it's just a matter of not having the experience of controlling these bodies to fly & land smoothly like you & the others. To be honest, I was worried when I stood on the edge of that viewing platform & looked down at the trees, that I might just end up flailing about like an idiot, & drop out of the sky like a… aawk!" He gave a sudden involuntary squawk as Linda, perched on the branch beside him, suddenly jabbed her claw into his flank. "…H-Hey! What was that for?"

She pinned him with a glare. "You don't need to go into that Jules." she said sharply. "It's perfectly natural to find flying difficult if you're not used to it."

As Jules rubbed his abused flank with his wing, Blu looked at Linda & smiled. "Hey, it's OK Linda." He said reassuringly. "I've got over that now, as you know, & I'll tell you all about how that came about later OK?"

Linda smiled back at him. "I'd like that." She turned back to Jules. "Sorry about that, Jules. I may have…overreacted a little."

Jules looked puzzled & a little put out. "I'll live." He said. "But what did I say? Did I say something wrong? I didn't mean to cause offence."

"It's a long story Jules." Blu said. "Let's just say I had…problems with flying for a long time. I'm over them now, & I look forward to telling that story later. For now though, let's get going on your writing lessons shall we?"

"Oh, sure." Jules said. "Sorry, Blu."

"Apology accepted." Said Blu cheerfully. He gestured with his wing for Jules to come over to & enter his tree home along with his kids, & Jules obeyed, picking his way carefully along the branch.

As Linda, Tulio, Jewel & Ana looked on, Blu gathered up a book & some notepads & automatic pencils which he had stored in his tree & gave them to Jules & his kids to hold carefully in their beaks. He then guided them down to a lower part of his tree that consisted of a wide, relatively flat area with some sticking up branches which he directed them to prop the items against. This simple classroom assembled, he then proceeded to get his kids started on reading the large book before beginning to teach Jules how to grip the pencil in his claw & write in the propped-up notebook, which was comparatively the size of a blackboard to him now. Jules followed his instructions attentively & rapidly began to become accustomed to this new way of writing, beginning to be able to write complete sentences rather quickly & indirectly proving to Blu he already knew all about human written language, just not how to write it without hands.

Seeing Jules well underway with this activity, Jewel turned to Linda, Tulio & Ana. The 4 of them were perched a little distance away from the class so they could have their chat without disturbing the activity.

"So." she said. She was facing Linda with Tulio & Ana standing off to one side.

"So." Linda agreed. Facing her squarely. There was a faint air of duellist's _en-guard_ about them.

"How are you finding life in feathers, 'Linda?'" Jewel inquired.

"It takes some getting used to, Jewel." She replied. "Everything's so much…bigger for one thing, & then there's the eyesight thing. Not that my glasses would fit anymore if I did still need them, so I suppose it's good that we don't."

"Right, right…" Jewel said. She paused momentarily & then said in a slightly different tone. "…And all the people back at the Centre? They'll probably be wondering what's become of you… do you think Maria has called the authorities yet?"

Linda looked at her sidelong. "Yes, they'll probably be wondering what's become of us, but hopefully Jules will be able to get us back to normal before _Gloria_ gets too worried."

"Oh, yeah…" Jewel said. "Well, I've never been that good at telling humans apart. Now, that Doctor Miles on the other claw, I remember him for that great job he did when I sprained my right wing."

"Right person, wrong wing, wrong injury Jewel." Linda said dryly. "It was your left wing & you had 2 minor fractures, not a sprain."

Jewel glared at her. "Alright, you pass so far, but answer me this: what's Blu's middle name?"

"I think you mean his first name Jewel, & it's 'Tyler'. Tyler Blu Gunderson. " Linda returned. Tulio & Ana were looking back & forth between them like they were watching a tennis match.

Jewel sagged, defeated. "Alright Linda, if it is you, you passed my little test."

Linda shook her head sympathetically. "I don't blame you for being sceptical, Jewel." She said. "If anyone had come up to me with a story like this, I would have dismissed it too. It's right out of a Saturday morning cartoon or something."

"Well, I'm glad you realise that at least." Said Jewel with a touch of humour. She looked back at Jules & Blu & (due to the conversation she'd just had) wasn't surprised to see that Jules had now rapidly moved on from recognisable letters & words & was beginning to sketch out on the pad what looked to her like gibberish but was probably the beginnings of his equations & formulas. Blu looked rather flummoxed by it too.

With the pupil now well underway with his self-imposed assignment, Blu moved across to see how his kids were doing with their reading. Jewel took the opportunity to excuse herself from Linda, Tulio & Ana's company to join him. The 3 remaining Scarlet Macaws watched both Jules & the Blue Macaws as they proceeded with their academic activities.

After a while, Ana looked across at Linda & Tulio. "So, uh, no tests from me, but I am curious how you're holding up with all this."

Linda & Tulio looked at her & then at each other before Tulio spoke: "Well, Ana it's…certainly been a learning experience for me. I thought I had a handle on bird communication, but I now see I was just splashing about in a paddling pool, but am now deep in the middle of a vast ocean teaming with life." He shook his head. "But it just…boggles my mind how deep it goes."

Ana looked at him curiously. "How so?" she asked.

"Well, let me give you an example." He said. "Disestablishmentarianism. There, now can you repeat that word for me?"

"Disestablishmentarianism?" Ana repeated back to him in a puzzled manner.

"There! Right there!" Tulio said animatedly. "How is it possible to convey a word like that with just 2 Chirps & a Caw like we both did? It's…its almost like we're not actually talking at all, but some kind of translation is going on between us communicating what we mean to say, buried somehow in the sounds we're actually making! This must the Language Matrix that Jules was talking about! It's amazing! & even more so that we seemed to somehow have been granted access to this Matrix because of these forms we're in. Its an astounding insight into the way the world seems to work, just as amazing as the change Jules seemed to have wrought upon us… but…but I'm…not sure what it actually means in the grand scheme of things." He finished, beginning to calm down.

Linda & Ana stared at him & then at each other. "Well, we…we just…talk." Said Ana weakly. "We know humans can't understand us, but we've never thought about it…really."

"There's no reason why you should." Tulio said reasonably. "You're right. It's just the way things have been. It takes something like this, seeing the world from a different perspective, to reveal just how wonderful & mysterious the fabric of our existence really is."

"Wow, Tulio, that was…profound." Said Linda looking at him with newfound respect.

He smiled at her. "Oh, I can be deep sometimes." He laughed & Linda & Ana joined in, the heaviness of the previous moment dissipating. Hearing them, Jules & the Blue Macaws paused in their activities to give them a curious look. They waved at them, & Jules gave a hesitant wave back before turning back to his work with a shrug. Blu came over towards them leaving Jewel overseeing their kid's efforts to draw a simple beach scene in their notepads.

"What's so funny guys?" he asked as he hopped up onto the branch next to them.

"Oh, we were just contemplating the myriad mysteries of existence, Blu." Said Linda humorously. "You know, like we do all the time." She chuckled, but then sobered up. "No, seriously, Tulio was just pointing out how…totally bizarre this whole situation is. Would you have ever imagined something like this could happen?"

"Honestly?...No." said Blu. "It's just like something out of the stories we used to read together….Science-fiction was always my favourite."

Linda looked at him. "Fantasy, as I recall Blu. You were always very partial to a nice Swords & Sorcery, Dungeons & Dragons type tale." She put her head on one side. "Were you testing me too?" She asked.

Blu looked sheepish. "Yeah…sorry, Linda."

"It's alright Blu." She said. "I know it's a lot to take in. For me as well, I never thought…never dared to hope…that I might one day be able to have a full conversation with you."

"Well, now you can." He smiled at her. "So, where do you want to start?"

"Right at the beginning Blu." She smiled back at him. "I found a tiny little chick that cold day in Minnesota & promised to take care of him. What did he think about that?"

Tulio nudged Ana gently & as she looked up at him he inclined his head away from Blu & Linda towards Jules. She understood.

"Hey, uh, while you 2 catch up, we'll just be over with Jules OK?" Tulio said & Blu & Linda nodded. "Catch you later." He & Ana made their exit & Blu & Linda settled themselves more comfortably on the branches. They began to talk.

* * *

Jules was on fire.

Not literally, of course, but he was totally caught up in his current pursuit. With Blu's help he had learned how to grip & use the pencil & it flew across the notepad as he sketched out his data, ideas & theories. He had always found it helpful to sketch out concepts while working on a problem & despite the challenge inherent in working with his altered form, now was no exception.

He had filled a number of the pages of the notebook already, & had carefully detached & propped them up against the tree as he referred back, added to, amended & sometimes crossed out entirely sections of his work.

He was getting there, he knew it. He had obviously been wrong about the effect of his formula but he was sure he knew how to trace the flaw. That American doctor had been onto something with his theories & Jules had blundered right into the middle of it. The need to set things right had lit a fire under him & he feverishly wove his & Dr Tennyson's theories together, seeing where they harmonized, overwrote or flatly contradicted each other.

The last 2 states were where Jules had reality keeping him on track. Saying that a complete, instantaneous alteration of form without any mental degradation was impossible was quite an absurd position to hold when you had first-hand knowledge of the contrary. As such, he knew what portions of his own workings to discard in favour of Dr Tennyson's & was quite quickly beginning to build an understanding of the strange process that must have transpired to cause his, Linda & Tulio's feathery problem. Once he had a handle on that, he could start devising a counter for it.

He hadn't been interrupted in his work. Blu had left him pretty much alone after Jules' workings had begun to leave him totally at sea & other than looking over curiously when he heard a snatch of laughter from Linda, Tulio & Ana he hadn't paid much attention to what the others were doing. At least they were getting along & staying positive.

He continued working, & after a while he suddenly became aware that someone was standing behind him. He glanced round to see Ana & Tulio watching him work.

"How's it going?" Tulio asked as they walked up to stand either side of him.

"I'm getting there." He reassured him. "I was right. Dr Tennyson's work is the key, & I'm almost finished integrating our 2 sets of work together. It appears that I have created a formula capable of altering a recipient's physical form to match a target sample, in this case, the feather I took from Ana."

"Yeah, we kinda figured that Jules." said Tulio dryly. "Have you figured out how to undo it?"

"Not yet." He admitted. He rushed on as Tulio's expression darkened. "But I will! I promise you. I won't rest until I find a way to set this right. According to my calculations our original genetic patterns will still be stored in our Morphogenetic Matrixes, so they're not lost. Ana's DNA sample has caused a species switch from Human to Scarlet Macaw, but I'm sure I can find a way to switch in the opposite direction."

Tulio still didn't look happy. "I really hope so Jules. No offence Ana, this is a fascinating state of existence & I'd love to explore it more, but we have lives & loved ones waiting for us. They'll be no end of trouble caused if we can't be human again soon."

"None taken Tulio, I understand." Ana looked at Jules thoughtfully. "Jules, are you really saying that it was my feather in your formula that caused you all to become like me?"

"Your DNA sample, yes." Jules corrected. "It was my original intention to use it as a target for the Language Matrix but it became the target for Dr Tennyson's Morphogenetic Matrix instead, which is kind of blueprint of physical data that all living creatures carry within them. Our original patterns are still part of that Matrix, so I need to figure out a way to reactivate them. Now, my best plan so far is to devise a way to target the energy vertices of the particle dynamics with an inverted version of the primary components energy signature, then…"

"Why don't you just use a human DNA sample?" She asked.

Jules stopped dead. He looked at her, then at his workings on the notepad, then back at her, then back at the notepad. His eyes widened. "…yes…yes!...yes, that's it!" he said. "All I need to do is make my formula again using a human DNA sample, like a single hair, & it will trigger the reversion to our base human state! Ana, you're a genius!"

Dropping the pencil he suddenly embraced Ana in his wings & gave her a huge joyous hug. Her eyes widened, but she didn't resist. All the other birds in the area, including Linda, Blu, Jewel & her kids paused in what they were doing to stare at Jules' outburst of emotion, & he suddenly realised what he was doing. He released Ana & stepped back, a little embarrassed. "Oh…sorry Ana. I guess…I got a bit carried away."

"That's…that's all right Jules." she said, straightening out her feathers. "I'm glad I could help. It just seemed obvious."

"So obvious, I didn't think of it." Said Jules ruefully, as he absently straightened out his own plumage. "According to my calculations, any DNA sample used in the formula will have the effect of changing the recipient to match the species. I just never thought of using a human one."

Ana & Tulio raised their eye ridges at that. "_Any_ DNA sample?" Tulio echoed. "You mean…any species you could get a feather or a hair or a scale from you could become?"

"Absolutely." Said Jules. "I know it's a pretty wild claim, but that's what all the data points towards. What's more, applying the formula in its correct dosage should eliminate the side-effects we experienced, which were the time-delay before it took effect & the prolonged unconsciousness. Those only occurred because we took such a massive dose all at once."

"Well, uh…Jules, it's encouraging that we have a solution, & the…implications of your discovery are quite astounding, but staying focused on our immediate situation for now, how do you intend to make your formula again? I suppose you'll need to get back into your lab?" Tulio asked.

"Of course. That'll shouldn't be too much of a problem though, Tulio. I never had a chance to start taking the equipment apart so it's all still operational & ready to go. I'm sure we can sneak our way back into the lab when it's dark & I'll be able to run the compilation sequence if I have a little help to work the controls. Even putting the materials together shouldn't…oh." He stopped, his face falling a little from the enthusiastic look it had had a moment before.

"What? What is it Jules?" Tulio said in concern. Everything seemed to be going so well…

"Well…" Jules said hesitantly before going on: "I have…the majority of the base materials necessary to compile my formula in the lab, & the human DNA sample will be easy enough too as all we need is a single human hair, but there is one crucial ingredient I only had enough of for my first attempt. I'll need to obtain more, which will take a little time."

"Please explain Jules." Tulio said.

"The crucial ingredient of my formula, the thing that actually gives it its efficacy, is a prototype material that is only available to Research Institutes." Jules explained. "It needs to be ordered via official channels & can only be sent to Accredited Research Centres, such as the Conservation Centre."

"I know about those channels." Tulio said. "I've occasionally used them to get medicines for the birds."

"Exactly." Jules said. "We both have authorisation to use them. So, I'm going to need access to an Internet-enabled computer so I can log into the Rio Scientific Materials Supply Website & order it online. It will then take about a day to arrive."

Tulio & Ana stared at him, and then they looked at each other, then back at him.

"Hey, it's not that difficult." Jules protested. "Any computer at all will do. I can still work one like this & I don't need to interact with anyone. As long as I give the right authorisation codes in the order to prove I'm from the Centre & have Clearance to experiment with such materials, they'll send it through just like they did before."

Tulio was silent for a moment as he turned this over in his mind. "Well, in that case Jules, it seems like the best thing to do will be for us to go Linda's Bookstore." He said finally. "It's locked up right now, but she always leaves a window with an exterior latch that Blu can operate, so we should be able to get in there. You can use her computer to log into the R.S.M.S. Website & we should also be able to get one of her hairs from her Hairbrush there too. Will that be sufficient?"

"That will be perfect Tulio." Jules said.

"Good. The sooner we get going the shorter time it'll take for them to deliver that material of yours right?" Tulio said. "If we order it today it'll be delivered to the Centre tomorrow so we'll be able to sneak in & use it tomorrow night. I'll also be able to drop Gloria a message via e-mail telling her we're alright, so she doesn't call missing persons or something."

"Sounds like a plan! Let's get going shall we?" Jules said happily. Right at that moment however, a faint growling noise came from his stomach.

Ana & Tulio both heard it, & Ana looked at him with dawning realisation. "Hey Jules, you haven't eaten anything today have you?"

"…Oh, well no, I haven't." Jules admitted. "I was so caught up in finding out what had happened to all of us & then figuring out how to set it right, I hadn't thought at all about food."

"Well, I think it's time you did. I'm half-starved myself come to think of it, & I haven't been working as hard as you." She looked at Tulio. "You say this thing you need will arrive tomorrow, but you won't be able to get to it until the night-time? Well, Jules has time for a little break right now for some food then, doesn't he?"

"Oh sure Ana." Said Tulio. "Linda & I have already eaten, so it's only right that Jules gets a bite to eat too. In fact, I insist on it."

Jules didn't quite know what to make of the sly look that had come over Tulio's face as he said this last part, but Tulio wasn't giving him any opportunity to ask questions. He turned a made his way over to where Linda & Blu were still engrossed in their conversation. Jewel & her kids had come over to them too, & were perched around them, quietly listening to them talk with an absorbed fascination.

"…& the look on his face!" Blu was saying, laughing. "He never thought you'd want me in the Prom photo over him. He was put out enough that you even brought me along."

"He was a Philistine." Linda sniffed disdainfully. "He didn't respect Literature, me or you. He kept calling you 'Polly' if you recall, & offering you crackers, no matter how many times I told him to stop. He thought it was funny! I wasn't surprised when he grew up to be a stand-up comedian, & not a very good one at that."

They laughed again, & then they all noticed Tulio, Jules & Ana standing patiently, waiting for them to finish.

"Hey guys, what's up? Linda asked, as all of them rose from their comfortable perched positions on the branches & turned to face them.

"Good news." Tulio said. "Jules, with Ana's help, has come up with a solution to our situation."

Linda's eye ridges rose at that, as did a number of the other birds. "Jules…_and_ Ana, eh?" said Linda. "Well, that is good. Thanks, Ana."

"I just stated what seemed to me to be a simple solution based on what Jules told me. I'm sure he would have gotten it eventually." Ana said.

"Oh, yes, but I was overthinking the problem. You helped shortcut all that." Jules said. "I'm positive this approach will work, but we'll need to do a bit of leg…err, wingwork & we won't be able to put it into action until tomorrow night."

The others looked curious, so Jules & Tulio related the plan they had come up with.

"My Bookstore?" Linda said when they had finished. "I locked it up before I came to meet Tulio & the key was in my pocket. It disappeared along with the clothes I was wearing."

"Yes, but what about the window with the latch that Blu uses? We should be able to get in through there right?" Tulio said.

Her face cleared. "Oh, yeah! I never thought of that. Only someone who can fly, is Blu's size & can work the latch can get in through there, & we all fit that bill now."

"Exactly." Tulio said. "We were going to head off straight away, but we won't be able to rush getting the material we need & Jules & Ana haven't eaten a thing all day, so they're just going to get a bite to eat before we go. I think you would agree with me if I recommend Jules tries the Mango, right Linda?" he winked at her & as she caught his meaning a sly smile spread across her face & she nodded.

Jules looked uneasy at their unspoken communication. Before he could think of anything to say, however Blu spoke up: "You say you need to use Linda's computer? Do you know how in that body?"

"Well…No, actually." Jules confessed. "It may take me a while to get the hang of it, but I'm sure we can figure it out eventually."

"Why don't I come along & show you, just like I did with the pencil & notepad? That'll save time." Blu offered.

"You…wouldn't mind?" Jules said hesitantly. "That would be a great help, thanks…is it all right?"

"No trouble at all." Blu said. "I planned to head out anyway to meet up with Linda today, so it's good we found each other, as I would have been worried when she didn't show up. Once we're done at the Bookstore I can bring dinner back for my family like usual." He paused. "And you guys? What are your plans? Are you coming back to the jungle after you're done at the Bookstore?"

Linda, Tulio & Jules looked blank. "Well, we…we hadn't really thought that far ahead." Tulio said. "We'll need a place to stay the night, so I suppose we could stay in the Bookstore…"

"Ah, C'mon guys, where's the fun in that?" Blu said. "Now that we know it's only temporary, you should get the full experience during your visit to the Bird world. Rafael has picked out that tree for you & Linda & I still have loads to talk about. What's more, there's a little party going on in the jungle tonight, I'm sure Rafael wouldn't mind if you came along."

Jewel, standing by Blu's side, gave him a sharp look at this last comment, but she held her tongue.

Linda, Tulio & Jules looked thoughtful for a moment, and then looked at each other. "Well, I'm game." Linda said.

"Never really been one for parties, but Blu's right. This is once in a lifetime thing, so I'm in." Said Jules.

"I did say I'd love to explore this state of existence a bit more." Tulio mused. He looked at Blu. "Alright, if Rafael's amenable, we'll come along. Thank you Blu."

"You just leave him to me." Blu said confidently. "Let's go back over there so I can talk to him & Ana & Jules can get some food, before we head for the Bookstore, ok?"

"Ok. Please lead the way, Blu" Tulio said.

Blu & Jewel looked at each other & exchanged a nod. She looked at her kids & exchanged a nod with them too. The Blue Macaws then all spread their wings & took off through the jungle, with the Scarlet Macaws following behind.

* * *

As the Macaws left the area, it was relatively quiet for a moment, apart from the myriad sounds of the jungle.

Below the tree branch where Blu had set up his classroom, there was a rustling & 2 figures emerged from their concealment in the foliage. They moved rapidly up onto the branch, & moving in on the notes that Jules had left propped up on the branches they stared at them curiously.

"Most interesting." Said one.

"Any good to us?" said the second.

"Possibly, possibly…" said the first. "Worth keeping an eye on definitely."

"We should tell him then." Said the second.

"Absolutely." Said the first. "C'mon."

The 2 figures then leapt off of the tree & rapidly moved away through the jungle.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the Update Delay but i've been on Vacation for a few weeks without a Laptop, though not bringing one turned out to be a mistake as this story just ****_will not_**** leave me alone & I keep thinking of new ideas for it.**

**Many thanks for the reviews & favorites so far. You many have noticed that there's a lot of characters talking in it & i'm curious whether you like it this way or you'd like more going on as I have plans for more action-heavy parts later on.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rio, but the Aperture Science Parellel Earth Testing Initative assures me that they're continuing the search for a Universe where I do & won't stop for anything, unless of course they're murdered with Nurotoxin by an Insane AI. Rather a strangley specific thing to mention I thought.**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

"So what are you going to do about it?"

Rafael looked at Eva in surprise. Her question had come during one of their rare quiet moments when their kids were playing relatively peacefully together under their watchful eye.

"About what, my love?" he asked her.

"About those 3 Birds who say they're human of course! Either they're all _Loco,_ in which case we have a problem, or they're telling the truth, in which case we have an even bigger problem!"

Rafael's brow furrowed as he considered this, & Eva continued: "At least if they were Loco, we could deal with it. You tell me that Carl is much better after he escaped from those horrible smugglers with the rest of you."

"Oh yes." Rafael said. "All he needed was to fly around in the open air & stay up in high places for a while. He couldn't stand the thought of going into enclosed spaces for quite some time, but he's much better now."

"Exactly. But these 3? They seem so level-headed, but what they're saying is just plumb crazy! So either they are, or the thing they're describing is, & if it's real it could cause us all big problems. You need to find out what's going on." Eva said firmly.

Rafael had had similar thoughts ever since he had conceded the possibility in his own mind that what the 3 newcomers had been saying was the truth. "Well, Blu seems convinced because of all that Macaw calling herself Linda seems to know, & that one who called himself Jules said that he was responsible for it all. Hopefully Blu & Jewel will get the real story from them while they're all together, & I can ask them when they return." He said.

"Good." she said. "You can get on that the next time we see them, & until then I think its best we don't mention this to anyone. If it's true, we don't want word spreading about it. It was bad enough with the kids getting all excited."

"Whatever you say, my juicy little mango." He said. "Don't worry, I'll sort it out…sort _them_ out, whichever."

"That's my pudgy papaya." She leaned across & they embraced & kissed each other. Their kids chorusing "eww" as they saw them & some pretending to be sick, but rapidly pretending to be looking somewhere else when they looked up at them in mild annoyance.

They sat together for a while enjoying each other's company until they heard the sound of wings & Nico, Pedro & 2 other birds flew into the clearing carrying various items for the party they were planning in the evening.

"Hey you 2 lovebirds!" Nico called as they landed. "We're back!"

"Good to see you again guys. And Diego! Victor! It's been too long." He said, giving a wing bump to the Spoonbill & Hahns Macaw who had accompanied the Cardinal & the Canary & were setting down some party supplies.

"The guys said you'd settled down in the jungle Ralfi." The Spoonbill called Diego replied after he'd set down the bag he was carrying in his long beak. "Never pegged you for the settling down type, but if anyone could tempt you away from the Bachelor life, it would be the 'Radiant Rebel of Rio' here." He said winking at Eva.

"Oh, stop." She said, waving a dismissive wing & looking away demurely. "That was an old nickname from my younger days. I have my family now."

"Uh, yeah. I can see that." The Hahns Macaw called Victor said as he eyed the 9 young Toucan's who had come over to cluster excitedly around them.

"Hey, C'mon Amigo's, be nice." Rafael said jovially as he & Eva fielded his excited kids with a practiced wing. "It comes to all us, sooner or later. That special someone who you want to spend the rest of your life with & brightens up every day." He said as he & Eva smiled at each other.

"…Uh, yeah. So, can we…get on with… putting all this together…then?" Said Diego as the young Toucan's climbed excitedly all over him. "Not that I want to…ow!...rush things or anything…" he said as they clambered over his head & beak & one stood on his eyelid.

"Kids, Kids, C'mon." Rafael said laughing as he & Eva did their best to get them under control. "Daddy's friends have some work to do, & the sooner they can get to it, the sooner we get the big party tonight ready! You want that don't you?"

They certainly did, & they fluttered off of Diego to come back to their parents, much to his & Victor's relief. Nico & Pedro were smirking on the side-lines at seeing these 2 old friends of Rafael's getting a taste of what he had to put up with all the time.

"It's just over here guys." Rafael said as he directed them over to a tree where they intended to set up the preparations for the party that evening.

They left the Young Toucan's in Eva's care & got to work, clearing some space & placing decorations. They began to mould the area into a version of Nico & Pedro's club, but with more emphasis on space & safety as it was a much more family oriented affair in the middle of a jungle. Diego pulled an MP3 player & a speaker dock out of the bag he had brought along with him.

"For the all-important music." Pedro nodded. He looked at Rafael. "We are going to get to sing ourselves though right?" he pleaded.

"Of course guys." Rafael said to him soothingly. "Just remember to keep it low-key. This is primarily for the kids, after all."

"No problem." Pedro said confidently. "We know a whole range of songs suitable for all ages. 'Real in Rio' always goes down smooth, as does 'Hot Wings I Wanna Party'. Ohh! And what about 'Fly Love?' that's my favour…"

"Ah, that one may be a bit…advanced, buddy." Nico cut him off. "Remember: kids."

"Oh…yeah. Sorry." Pedro said. He brightened up & winked at them. "Still a few years before they'll be ready for that one eh?"

They laughed. "I'll run over the song list with you later, Amigo. Let's just finish up here." Rafael said. They then continued getting everything ready.

As they were placing some Battery-operated LED lights in the tree branches, Nico looked across at Rafael: "So, how are those new arrivals getting along Ralfi? Any more odd behaviour?"

Rafael hesitated as he remembered what Eva had said to him. "Oh…them?...well, we…found out what was up with them….sort of."

As Nico & Pedro looked at him in surprise, Diego & Victor looked interested. "New arrivals?" Diego asked.

"Some new Scarlet Macaws showed up last night & this morning." Nico explained to him. "They were acting pretty weird though. So what was their deal Ralfi?"

Like Linda before him, Rafael didn't feel like he could tell them the truth (if it was the truth), but equally did not want to outright lie to his friends, so like her, he opted to tell just enough to satisfy them without giving away the rather startling truth (again, if it was true) about them. "Well, it's like you guys suspected. They come from human backgrounds like Blu, & are…unused to life in the wild like he was, which explains some of their quirks. The 2 we found last night were in a human vehicle because they came from the Conservation Centre."

Nico frowned. "They did huh? Oddest release strategy I've ever seen. Normally they release treated birds from the tower in the jungle."

"Normally, yes." Rafael agreed. "These 3 are a…special case however. They also said they don't intend to stay long though. They want to move on."

"Oh, that's a shame." Victor said. "It would have been nice to have some more Scarlet's around, company for Ana & Juan for one thing. Oh! That reminds me by the way Ralfi, Is Ana back yet?"

"Yes, she is." Rafael answered. "She came back this morning with one of the new arrivals from the Centre. Why do you ask?"

"Juan asked me." Victor explained. "He knew her release was coming up, so he asked me to find out if she was back yet."

"Still chasing her, huh?" Pedro said with a smirk. "You gotta admire that guy's persistence. Her responses to his attempts to romance her have been chillier than Ice-Cream. Can't think why though, those 2 are made for each other."

"That has rather been the problem." Rafael said, glad that the subject was moving away from the newcomers. "Ana doesn't seem to like that Juan takes it for granted that as they're the only Scarlet Macaws in this part of Rio, they are destined to be together. Which is also tied in to his …shall we say, rather high appraisal of himself. Something else she doesn't like about him."

"He is rather arrogant." Diego chuckled. "He's a great Dancer, & swaggers about the club letting the girls swoon over him, but he's only had eyes for Ana ever since he met her."

"And she won't give him the time of day." Pedro sighed. "We did our best too. We couldn't get her to come to the club, but we tried arranging little romantic get-togethers for them, in the city, in the jungle…nothing worked."

"That was more his own fault though, buddy." Nico pointed out a little defensively. "Even before she stopped accepting our invitations for a friendly flight around the city or jungle at which Juan would 'happen' to show up, he would always manage to say or do something to irritate her & she'd fly off in a huff."

"Yeah, well, I guess some Brazilian ladies _don't_ respond to confidence." Pedro said. He shared a smirk with Nico, but then his face lit up as a thought struck him & he turned to Rafael. "But hey Ralfi, you said they were the only Scarlet Macaws in the area, but that's not true anymore is it? Maybe now with 3 guys & 2 ladies, the field will open up a little & it could be just the competitive kick up the butt both Juan & Ana need! If we can convince those new guys to stay, then maybe…" he began excitedly.

"No!" Rafael cut him off sharply. It was such an unusual thing for him to say & tone for him to take that they all stared at him in surprise. He saw their looks & realised how uncharacteristic such a reaction was from him in their eyes. He hastened to explain & apologize: "…that is…I…I mean…no, I don't think that's a good idea, Amigo's. Sorry to say it so…abruptly like that."

"That's OK Ralfi." Nico said. "But…why not? Are they already paired up? Like those 2 we found last night? Are Ana & that guy Jules already involved? Could be trouble with Juan there if so…"

"Oh no, no, it's not that." Rafael said. "Well, that is to say, the 2 from last night are apparently a pair, but they have other concerns at the moment. I also don't think Ana & Jules have any feelings for each other. They're just friends." At least, he hoped that was the case. It would just be too weird if it wasn't.

"I see." Nico said. "Could still be trouble there with Juan though big guy. He strikes me as the potentially jealous type."

"I'm sure it won't come to that." Rafael said a little uncomfortably. "Like I said, they don't intend to stay long, so…"

"Look! Here they come!" Diego said, pointing with his wing. They all looked, & sure enough, the Blue & Scarlet Macaws were flying towards them through the forest.

* * *

The group of Macaws landed in the clearing, Jules, Tulio & Linda better than before as their familiarity & skill with the process improved. They looked with interested curiosity at the party preparations scattered in & the around the area as Rafael & his friends moved forward to greet them.

"Hello again Amigo's!" he called out. "So nice to see you all again. Let me introduce you new guys to some more of my good friends." He proceeded to introduce Diego & Victor to Jules, Linda & Tulio & then continued to talk rather rapidly, not giving them a chance to get in a word in edgeways: "So you guys are getting along? Great! As I was just saying to my friends here, I know you aren't used to living in the forest, but all are welcome here even if they were raised in human companionship like you 3. Blu was raised that way & he turned out great! Am I right Blu?" Blu looked a little puzzled & opened his beak to say something, but Rafael rushed on: "Of course I am! I'm sure you 3 will get along just as well during your visit & we can show you all around our lovely jungle & city & show just _peaceful_ & _uncomplicated_ our lives are. Wouldn't want anything to come along to _disrupt_ that & cause…_issues_ that would _make waves_ now would we? Not that I'm saying you would do that of course! No, No, I know you guys appreciate how important it is not to rock the boat unnecessarily, like…like with wild stories about…things. Though that's just a for instance, obviously."

The pointed looks he shot at them as he emphasised those words was not lost on the group of Blue & Scarlet Macaws he was addressing. They exchanged glances as he continued: "With that in mind, there are just one or 2 little things I forgot to go over with you earlier." He addressed himself directly to the group of Scarlet Macaws. "Would you guys mind if we just had a little private chat for a moment?"

"Sure…no problem, Rafael." said Tulio.

Rafael nodded, & then Jewel spoke up: "If you wouldn't mind Rafael, can we tag along too? There are also…some things we need to discuss as well." She said, giving him a meaningful look much like he had done to them.

Noting it, Rafael agreed. He then turned back to his friends, who were definitely giving him some funny looks at their strange comments. He hastened to try & smooth things over.

"Not to worry guys, we won't be that long. Just some loose ends to sort out. Why don't you finish up here & we'll meet back up later?"

Nico, Pedro, Victor & Diego exchanged glances but then nodded. "Sure, no problem Ralfi. You can leave it to us." Nico said.

"Thanks guys." Rafael said. He turned back to the Macaws. "Well, if you would kindly follow me?" he said, indicating the way out of the clearing with his wing.

The Macaws nodded & as he turned, spread his wings & took off, they all spread their wings too & followed him into the air. Rafael paused briefly as he passed Eva to call to her that he'd be back soon, & as she acknowledged this with a wave of her wing, he flew out of the clearing followed by the group of Macaws.

* * *

"What is _up_ with them?" Pedro said. "It's like Ralfi & now Blu & Jewel have caught the same weirdness disease that those guys had!"

He, Nico, Diego & Victor had returned to the tree to finish up the preparations, but Pedro couldn't keep his irritation over the oddness he had just witnessed inside.

"Oh, C'mon buddy it's not like that." Nico said. "He was just fine when we arrived with the Party preparations, & if it was something catching we'd have got it too, seeing as we found them first."

"I know that, I didn't mean a literal disease. It's just that he's acting weird now too, but it only started when we brought up the subject of those new guys. It's like he's hiding something from us, something about them." Pedro said.

"That's not like him." Diego said shaking his head. "But you're right, I got the same feeling."

"What could it be?" Victor said, frowning. "They seem ordinary enough, even though we've barely met them."

"Linda was saying this morning that we wouldn't believe whatever it was that she had to say." Nico mused. "She must've spilled the beans to Ralfi while we were back in the city."

"Yeah, & you were saying that maybe she was going to tell us she was an alien or something." Pedro reminded him. He paused; "…say…you don't think…that maybe…"

"Aw, c'mon buddy, get real." Nico chastised him. "This is real life, not some kind of Science-Fiction story."

"Yeah, you're right, Sorry." said Pedro abashed.

"Well, whatever those guys' deal is, Ralfi doesn't seem to want us to know about it." Diego said. "And as hurtful as that is, I think we need to ask ourselves whether we trust his judgement on that score? What if it's something he thinks we're better off not knowing, or he knows we wouldn't _want_ to know?"

They considered that for a moment, & then Pedro shook his head. "My head hurts." He complained. "Let's just leave it for now OK guys? We got the preparations to complete, & I'm sure Ralfi will tell us what's going on later."

The others agreed, & they all turned their attention back to completing the preparations for the party that evening.

* * *

Rafael swooped down through the jungle canopy & landed at the base of an isolated tree. The Scarlet & Blue Macaws followed, landing behind him & he turned to face them.

"Alright Amigo's, first off I would like to make it clear that I did _not_ like having to mislead my friends back there." He began firmly.

"Why did you, Rafael?" Jewel cut in. "I got these guys to come clean, now you want to cover it all up again? Why?"

"I'll explain Jewel, but first, are you guys still sure that it's really what has happened? Did you come to any…conclusions while you were all off together?"

"Yes, actually." Jewel responded. She related to Rafael everything that had gone on, including her little quiz for Linda, the long chat Linda & Blu had had & then finally the plan Jules, Tulio & Ana had come up with.

"I see." Rafael said nodding. "Well, I guess there's no doubt anymore you guys really are who you say, but I must ask you to please keep it a secret."

"Why?" Jewel said, puzzled.

"Because Jewel, do you realise how it changes things? Think about the wider picture for a moment." He turned to all of them: "Humans being able to communicate with Birds is one thing, & I'm glad Blu & Linda have the chance to catch up, but actually being able to _become_ a bird? Do you guys see how that has the potential to completely mess up the boundaries between our worlds if humans can just waltz right into our state of being? What kind of trouble would it cause if other species could just become human whenever they wanted?" Rafael said.

The Macaws were taken aback by this, & as they processed what he was saying he continued: "That's why I didn't want you spilling the beans to my friends. Word would spread like wildfire among the Birds of Rio, & you'd be guaranteed to get a whole range of reactions, some positive, some not. It would certainly be all anyone would be talking about & you'd be mobbed wherever you went. Just think what happened earlier with my kids, but multiplied by hundreds."

They did, & their expressions told what they thought of such a prospect. He went on: "So, please Amigo's, keep who you really are to yourselves. You guys all work at the Centre right? You wouldn't want to disrupt the peaceful lives us birds live here in the jungle, would you?" he pleaded.

Tulio, Linda & Jules shook their heads, & then Tulio said: "Never, Rafael…protecting Birds & making sure they get to live in peace is my life's work, & I'm sure Linda & Jules feel the same." He looked at them. "Right guys?"

"Absolutely." Linda said. "Not a word from me."

"Nor from me." Jules said. "Rafael's absolutely right, &…he's given me a lot to think about." Jules' tone changed slightly on this last comment, causing most of the others to give him curious looks.

Rafael was more occupied with a feeling of relief. "Thanks guys." He sighed. He turned to Blu & Jewel. "You see? We need to keep this under wraps for the duration of their stay. You'll go along with that won't you?"

Blu & Jewel looked at each other, & then at their silently watching kids, & then met Rafael's gaze squarely. "Yes, Rafael." Jewel said. "I don't like keeping things from my friends, just like you, but I see your point & I agree. The question now though is; what _do_ we tell them?" she asked.

"As little as possible." Rafael said. "I've already said you guys were companions like Blu & that you don't intend to stay long. Just leave it at that & if they question deeper just say it's an unhappy subject you'd prefer not to dwell on. They shouldn't press further."

The Scarlet Macaws nodded understanding, & now that he had gotten the serious stuff out of the way, Rafael slipped back into his usual easy-going manner. "So, now that's all sorted, I hope you guys enjoy your visit. Bet you never thought you'd get to see a _litera_l Birds-eye view of the world huh?" he joked.

The Scarlet Macaws chuckled as the serious mood in the air lightened. Blu then spoke up; "Actually Rafael, about their visit, I did extend an invitation to them. I hope you don't object?"

Rafael looked at him curiously. "An invitation? What for Amigo?" But then his eyes widened as he put 2 & 2 together. "…wait, you mean the party tonight?" Blu nodded. "Well…hey…I'm not…sure…that is…"

Blu stepped into the middle of his flustered speech. "Rafael, they may not really be Birds…but I can tell one thing they most certainly are. _Friends_." He said firmly. "You understand…don't you?"

Rafael met his gaze. He smiled. "Yeah, Amigo. I understand." He turned to the Scarlet Macaws again. "This get-together is primarily for the kids, but they'll be some Adults there too, & they'll be some dancing for them later in the night when the kids have gone home to bed. We'd be honoured to have you there, Amigo's. Let us show you how we Birds party."

"We'd be honoured to attend, Rafael." Linda said. "After all, we are wearing proper attire, aren't we?"

The group laughed, but right at that moment Jules' stomach gave another protesting growl.

"Sorry." He said sheepishly.

"No problem, Jules" Rafael said. "I've kept you guys long enough anyway, let's get back so we can set my buddies minds at rest, you can get a bite to eat & then you can proceed with that plan of yours in the city. The party starts this evening, so you've got plenty of time to get back."

They nodded, and then the group turned back towards the meeting area, spread their wings & took to the air again.

* * *

"Ha-Ha, very funny guys." Jules said reproachfully as Ana helped him clean bits of Mango off of his beak, head & neck with water from the pool. "You knew that would happen, didn't you?"

Linda & Tulio smirked at each other & Linda said: "Aww, c'mon Jules, it was just a little joke. We got a bit carried away over the taste as well you know."

Jewel met Blu's gaze as she said: "Not as carried away as a certain other bird when he tasted real fruit for the first time." They chuckled together.

The 6 of them were gathered at the edge of the pool near the meeting area. When they had returned, they had confidently reassured Nico, Pedro, Diego & Victor that everything was fine with them & everything in general. Things seemed settled nicely right up to the point when Jules finally sank his beak into the Mango & he had gone just as nutty over it as Linda & Tulio had. Rafael had done some more fast talking & managed to convince them that they were raised on cereal & vitamins like Blu & had never tasted real fresh fruit before. He & Eva were currently in charge of their & Blu & Jewel's kids & as well as playing with them, they were also quietly instructing them in the importance of keeping their guest's real identities a secret.

"But I _have_ eaten Mango before, just not in this form." Jules protested. "It must be something ingrained into this body's tastes & appreciations."

"Probably." Ana said, as she gave his face one last wipe with her wing. "Don't forget though Jules, you promised Rafael not to talk about that. Best not to bring it up in case you get overheard."

"Yes, of course. Sorry." He said, glancing up into the distance where Pedro & Diego were visible but way out of earshot, continuing their preparations for the party that evening. "It does make me wonder though, that's flying & fruit we seem to have innate instincts for. Is anything else going to crop up & make us act…well, odd?"

Tulio shrugged his wings. "Not as far as we know Jules. It shouldn't matter though. Its felt good to go along with these instincts so far, but I'm sure we're capable of overriding them if the need arises."

Jewel gave him a Look. "Well, _we_ certainly are, so you should be too." She said with a hint of testiness.

Tulio was abashed. "Of…of course, Jewel…I…I didn't mean to imply…" he stammered.

"Its ok guys." Blu came to his rescue. "I know interacting with us like this is still new to you, but you'd be surprised just how advanced Bird society is. I know I was." Changing the subject quickly, he turned to Ana. "Hey Ana, mind if I ask what you intend to do? Are you coming along with us to the Bookstore or do you have other plans?"

Ana hesitated. "Well…you guys didn't say whether you would mind me coming along. Can I?"

"Sure Ana, if you want." Linda said. "You don't want to go home just yet?"

"No…forgive me, but I'm finding this whole situation with you 3 fascinating. I was there when it started, so I'd like to see it through to the end, if that's alright."

"No problem, Ana." Blu said. He gave her a curious look. "I thought you didn't like cities much though?"

"Normally, no. But this is different." She explained. "We'll all be together in a locked building right? That should be safe enough, & I am curious to see a human home for the first time."

Tulio nodded, but then his eyes widened as a thought struck him. "Safety, of course." He gave Linda & Jules a serious look. "I hadn't realised it until now, but we'll need to be careful in the city. It probably hasn't occurred to you, but we are all fine examples of a rare species of exotic bird. We don't want to get captured for a pet store or something."

The Startled looks on their faces told quite clearly that such a thought had _not_ occurred to them. They looked at each other & nodded soberly.

"C'mon guys, we should get going." Linda said. "The days' wearing on & we need to get to that computer &…"

"Shh." Tulio hissed suddenly at her. "Here comes Nico & Victor."

They looked up, & sure enough, the Canary & the Hahns Macaw came fluttering down through the forest & landed near them.

"Hey Guys!" Nico said cheerfully. "How're you getting along? This place is pretty nice right?"

"It's lovely Nico." Linda said, smiling at him.

"Glad you think so." He said. "Umm…listen, guys, I know Ralfi said you don't want to stay long, but me & Victor here were just wondering if you'd like us to show you around? Seeing as you're new here & all."

"That's very nice of you Nico, but I'm sure we can find our way." Linda said. "We err…were just about to go take a look at the City, &…"

She got no further. Nico's face lit up. "The City?" he interrupted her. "You're in luck! We know the city better than anyone, so we could give you a quick tour & also show you where The Branch is! You'd love to see that right?"

Linda hesitated while she tried to think of a polite way of discouraging his enthusiasm, but Tulio looked at Nico curiously. "The Branch?" he asked. "What's that?"

Nico & Victor looked surprised. "You've never heard of The Branch!?" Nico said. "It's only the most happening Samba Club in all of Rio, run by Pedro & yours truly!" he said thumping his wing against his puffed-up chest. "Well, no wonder you don't want to stay if you don't know about that! I tell you guys, once you get into the groove there with all the other hip birds that frequent the place your troubles just melt away &…"

Jewel interrupted him. "No, no, Nico I'm sure they wouldn't be interested in that. They're not really into that, you know. And as for showing them around, that's really good of you, but uh…"She hesitated momentarily, but then a thought seemed to strike her & she went on: "But Blu here has already said he's going to show them his friend Linda's bookstore! Isn't that right Blu? They're much more into books & reading than they are dancing right? & Linda's sure not to mind is she?"

"Oh, no Jewel I'm sure she won't." Blu said as his gaze met Linda's momentarily. He turned to the slightly dejected Nico & Victor. "Don't worry guys; they'll be coming to the party later. You can show them how good you are as performers there OK?"

"We sure will Blu." Nico said, brightening up a little. "Hey, consider it sample, OK, guys? Maybe once we knock your feathers off this evening, you'll consider coming to The Branch at least once before you move on OK?"

He was almost pleading, so they didn't have the heart to shut him down again. "We'll…think about it Nico." Linda said kindly. "Thank you very much for telling us."

Nico & Victor smiled at them, & then Jewel said; "Hadn't you guys' better get going then Blu? Don't take too long though; you know I miss you." She said to him tenderly.

"Don't worry Jewel; your Love Hawk will never leave you for long." He leaned across & kissed her. Linda & Tulio smiled at this, & then Blu turned back to them: "Well, ready guys? This is going to be a pretty long flight. You up for it after…uh, all that…inactivity for your flight muscles in the Centre?"

Linda, Tulio, Jules & Ana all nodded. "We should be just fine Blu." Linda said. "We were a bit...stiff, this morning it's true, but these little flights back & forth through the jungle have warmed us up nicely."

"And Jules & I were just fine flying over here." Ana spoke up. "So these guys should be too."

"Alright then." Blu said. He turned & spread his wings, turning his head to look back at them. "Just follow my lead, OK guys? I know the way to the Bookstore from here &…" he paused, a smile pulling at the corners of his beak. "…you're in for quite a treat with the view on the way."

They nodded, & spread their wings in readiness too. Blu took off & the Scarlet Macaws all followed him into the air, all of them heading for a break in the Jungle canopy where the Blue sky strewn with clouds was visible. Jewel, Nico & Victor waved them goodbye, then they turned & flew off back to the meeting area.


	7. Chapter 7

**I have no idea if the Feather thing is true, but I decided to just go with it for the purposes of my story.**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Rio, & all I can get from Aperture on the phone is this Gladys lady who just says I should come down in person & talk about it over cake.**

* * *

**C****hapter 7**

As Blu flew up above the tree canopy of the jungle, he glanced back to make sure the others were following him all right. Ana was obviously used to flying, but Tulio, Linda & Jules were doing pretty well for newcomers. True, they had been OK with the short flights they had taken back & forth through the Jungle so far, but this was a much higher & longer flight. They seemed to be keeping up just fine however. Must be a mix of their long observation of how real Birds (including himself) did it plus a touch of the acquired instinct Jules was talking about. It looked like Rafael was more right than even he knew; flying really _was_ in the DNA, even when it was somehow 'borrowed' from a single feather. It also probably helped that they didn't thrash around wildly out of fear of falling too, Blu thought humorously to himself.

He still found it amazing that 3 Humans, let alone 1 that was a friend & one that was practically family, were right here in the Jungle in the bodies of Macaws. He no longer doubted that it really was Linda with the chat about their early days the 2 of them had engaged in. The chances of someone being able to fake that amount of knowledge & act so much like the Human he knew were practically nil. It therefore logically followed that it really was Tulio as well, the guy who was responsible for bringing him to Rio, introducing him to Jewel & healing her broken wing. That left Jules as the one who was a complete stranger to him, but based on his limited interactions with him so far he seemed like a nice guy.

He led the group up to his normal travelling height above the jungle, and then levelled out while he aimed them all towards the city. He glanced back to see that they had correctly taken up flying formation behind & to the sides of him with Ana & Jules on his left & Linda & Tulio on his right. As they continued their flight, he saw a look of awe & wonder on Linda, Tulio & Jules' faces as they gazed down at the landscape spread out before them.

"Didn't I tell you?" he called out to them. "This is great, right?"

"It's amazing Blu!" Linda called back to him. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"

Blu smiled at that, & as he glanced over at Ana & Jules, he saw them exchange a knowing look too.

They continued their flight. Conversation amongst such a spread-out group while airborne would have been difficult, so Blu didn't try. He restricted himself to looking back every now & again to check they were still with him & not in any difficulties. After about 20 minutes of flying they were directly over the suburb of the city where Linda's bookshop was located.

"We're almost there!" Blu called out. "Land on the roof behind the Bookstore, OK guys?"

They nodded in response, & Blu angled his flight into a steady descent down to the city below. The others followed & the group landed on the roof located across the narrow alley behind Linda's Bookstore.

"There it is, see?" Blu pointed with his wing. Directly across from them was a window into the Bookstore. It was too high to reach any way except flying or a ladder but it was also too small to admit anyone except a Bird of Blu's size or slightly larger. "OK guys, you'd better listen. I've noticed that you tend to use your wings a lot to stabilise yourselves when landing & that's normal for beginners, but you obviously can't do that with that opening as you'll need to fly at it & then fold your wings just before you get there. Let me show you." Blu said. He flew up to the window. Beating his wings to hover right outside it, he reached out with his claws to grip the catch & with a twist turned it easily & he opened the window by hovering backwards. He then flew off a ways to get some distance & then flew directly towards the window, folding his wings just before he reached it & using his aerial momentum to land neatly inside the windowsill. He looked back at the others watching him with interest from across the alley.

"There you see?" he said. "You'll need to be going at the right speed as you approach. Now, one at a time OK guys? How about you first Ana? You can show them the technique just like I did right?"

Ana nodded & spread her wings. Blu hopped off the windowsill onto a narrow shelf that was level with it just inside the building & waited just to the side. Ana then took a short run off the roof & flew directly towards the window. She folded her wings at the exact right time to land smoothly inside the windowsill, joining Blu on the shelf.

"Nicely done, Ana." Said Blu with appreciation. "Could you wait down on the landing please? The others may need this shelf space." She nodded again, & fluttered down from the shelf to the landing below. Blu leaned over to peer out the window at the Scarlet Macaws across the alley. "See that guys?" He said to them. "Just like that, OK? You think you can do it?"

Linda, Tulio & Jules looked at each other & exchanged nods. "Sure Blu, no problem." Linda said. "I'll go next."

"Be careful." Tulio said in concern. "If you hit your wings on the frame you could stun them & fall."

"You can do it guys." Blu said. "And anyway, I'm here. If you miss, I'll grab you. But I'm sure you can do it. Your flying skill is coming along in leaps & bounds." He said encouragingly.

Linda nodded again & spread her wings. She aimed herself at the window & ran & jumped off just like Ana had done. As she flew to the window she also got the timing just right to fold her wings & land inside the windowsill.

"Well done, Linda!" said Blu warmly. "You're very good for a beginner."

She smiled at that, & fluttered down off the shelf to join Ana. Outside, Tulio looked at Jules' doubtful expression as he looked across the gap to the window. "How about I go next Jules?" he said.

"Please do Tulio." Jules replied. "I'm still not 100% sure I've got it, perhaps one more example would help."

"OK." Tulio said. "I think I can do it." He spread his wings, ran & jumped just like the others, & like the others he too hit the mark, folding his wings & landing on the shelf inside the window. He looked back at Jules. "OK Jules?" he asked. "You get that?"

"Yeah." Jules responded. Tulio joined Ana & Linda down on the landing. A determined expression settled on Jules' face & as he began to open his wings he also began to shift his weight back & forth on his claws with his eyes fixed on the window & muttering under his breath: "Acceleration, Angle, Momentum…"

"Hey, Jules." Blu said with concern. "Don't overthink it, you know? That can lead to…" He stopped as Jules began his run. He jumped off the edge & flew at the window. "Hey! Whoa!" Blu said in alarm. "That's way too..." he was too late however, as though Jules folded his wings in time he was indeed travelling too quickly to land on the shelf inside the window. He shot in through it, & though he tried to stop himself & Blu made a desperate grab for him, he skidded right off the edge of the shelf, flipping over & tumbling down towards the landing, too confused by the flip to use his wings to right himself. Linda & Ana moved to try & catch him but Tulio was right underneath him.

"Awk!" Tulio squawked involuntarily as Jules fell right on top of him, inadvertently cushioning his fall. They both lay momentarily stunned & Ana & Linda moved in rapidly to help them.

"Blu told you not to overthink it Jules." Ana gently scolded him as she & Linda helped them up. "Just like I did this morning."

"Yeah…Sorry, Tulio." Jules said apologetically, as he Tulio stood up & began straightening out their mussed-up plumage as best they could.

"No harm done." Tulio said, but with a hint of acerbity. "Don't forget though Jules, we need that head of yours in one piece to get us all back to normal."

"The head was also where you went wrong Jules." Blu said as he reached out to close & re-latch the window. He then fluttered down from the shelf to join the rest of them on the landing. "I made the same mistake of overthinking things, but Rafael set me straight…eventually." He reached out with his wing to gently tap Jules on the top of his head. "Flying isn't what you think up here…" he then lowered his wing feather to gently prod Jules on his breast. "It's what you feel in here." He continued. "Remember that, & I'm sure you won't go far wrong."

"Don't think; feel?" Jules summarised & Blu nodded. "I'll try Blu, thanks."

"Well, now we're all safely inside, how about I give Jules & Ana the 10-cent tour?" said Linda as she gestured down the short corridor that ran down length of the flat. "The stairs just here lead down into the Bookstore, but the room we want is the far one, so I may as well give you 2 a quick tour as we make our way there."

Jules & Ana nodded & Linda proceeded to walk the group down the corridor, pointing out the rooms as they passed them.

"Here's the bathroom…wow…" She paused as she looked around it from the doorway." "Everything looks…so much _bigger_ from this perspective."

"Welcome to my world." Blu said dryly. Linda smiled at that.

"I've heard about these." Ana said. "Humans use them for Hygiene, right?"

"That's a good way of putting it Ana." Linda said. "Yes, we use them for cleaning ourselves in…various ways."

They moved onto the next room & Linda said: "And here's my room."

"Is that your nest?" Ana said, pointing her wing feather at Linda's bed up against the wall. "It's huge!"

Blu, Linda, Tulio, & Jules looked amused & Linda smiled a little as she said: "In a manner of speaking, Ana. We don't call them that, but I suppose it is technically true at the moment."

They moved on & at the next room Linda said. "And this here is Fernando's room…I tidied it up after he left for his trip, but it usually looks like a bomb hit it." They gave the rather unremarkable room a once-over, but Linda remained gazing at it for a while with a worried expression.

Blu thought he knew what she was thinking & apparently so did Tulio, as he put his wing on her shoulder, causing her to start slightly. "Don't worry." He said gently. "We'll be back to ourselves in plenty of time for you to welcome him back."

"Absolutely." Jules hastened to say, his face concerned.

Linda shook herself. "Yes, of course. It's just…he's already lost one family…& I couldn't bear to think of what he'd do if he thought…" she trailed off.

An uncomfortable silence settled on the group & Blu noticed that Jules was looking wretched. At least he realised the awkward position he had put Linda in & regretted it. If Fernando hadn't happened to be away & had woken up this morning to find Linda & Tulio seemingly vanished from the face of the earth… but luckily, that hadn't happened & Tulio was right. They could put this right without Fernando being any the wiser. If Linda then chose to tell him about it later of course, that was up to her.

Linda roused herself. "Right, let's finish up that tour & get on with things shall we?" She then moved on down the corridor, with the rest following her.

* * *

"They didn't know about The Branch?" Pedro said. "Huh, I guess if they came from Human backgrounds they wouldn't, but why would they not want to come? Man, we have _got_ to set these guys straight on all they've been missing!"

He, Nico, Diego & Victor were gathered in the branches of the tree again, & Nico & Victor had relayed what had gone on before Blu & the Scarlet Macaws had left for the city. Jewel had joined Rafael & Eva to help with their kids.

"Blu was unfamiliar with the whole Samba scene when he first got here, but he got into the groove soon enough once he did know didn't he?" Nico said. "Maybe these guys just need a bit of encouragement, just like him."

"They're coming to the party later right? I know it's going to be a more low-key affair, & that could be just what they need to gently introduce them." Diego pointed out.

"That's what Blu said too." Victor said.

"That's settled then." Said Pedro determinedly. "This party isn't just to introduce the kids to Carnival, it's for them too. But we'll have to do it subtle, like. Don't want to scare them off by pressuring them."

Diego & Victor exchanged glances & their expressions told of what they thought of the concept of Pedro being subtle. "We'll help guys." Diego said.

"Thanks guys." Nico said. He glanced around at the party preparations they had set up in & around the tree & the clearing. "Well, we're all set with the stuff you brought with you. You ready to go back to the city for the final few things?"

"Sure thing." Victor said. "I also need to let Juan know that's Ana's back."

"Right…Juan." Nico said, frowning. He glanced down at Rafael, playing with his kids in the clearing. "When you tell him, he'll almost certainly want to wing it over to see how she is right? And she's most likely to still be hanging around with those new guys… you think they'll be any…trouble, between him & them?"

Victor followed his gaze. "Well, Ralfi said she's not involved with that guy Jules, but I can't see how he could really know. She may be intending to leave with him when they move on."

"Juan may not like that." Nico said. "I don't really like his attitude, but he's always regarded Ana as his girl, even if she doesn't share the feeling. He thinks she'll come around eventually."

"Then maybe it's about time he was taken down a branch or 2 huh?" Pedro said, putting his wings on his hips challengingly. He continued as they all looked at him: "Maybe Ana does like this guy, but so what? If Juan had respected her a bit more, maybe she wouldn't be looking elsewhere, & now that he has competition Juan is going to have to step up his game if he wants to win her back! Am I right guys?"

"That's what he should do, I agree." Diego said. "But with his personality, he might have a more unreasonable reaction."

"Aw, C'mon, I'm sure it won't be that bad." Pedro said, waving a wing dismissively. "Anyways, we'll be sure to step in if things do get out of claw."

"Hmm." Nico said, still seeming unsure. "There's still whatever it is about them that Ralfi didn't want to tell us…" but then he shrugged. "…but you're right. It can't be that bad & we might as well let things take their course." He turned to his friends, his doubt seemingly over & his usual good cheer restored. "C'mon guys, let's get going."

They all spread their wings & fluttered down off the tree down to where Rafael, Eva, Jewel & their kids were playing. Rafael looked up at their approach. "Hola Amigo's!" he said. "How's it coming along?" he looked up at the tree. "Oh, it looks great! It looks like you're all done right?"

"Almost Ralfi." Nico said. "We just need to pop back to the city for a final few things, & uhh…Victor here needs to let Juan know that Ana's back, you know, like he promised."

"Sure." Rafael said amicably. "She should be back from her visit with her new friends this afternoon. He can wing over & see her then."

"You don't think they'll be any…trouble between him & them?" Nico asked with concern. "You did say that that guy Jules wasn't involved with her, but Juan might resent even the friendship…"

Rafael frowned. "Hey guys, I'm sure Ana & Jules don't feel that way about each other, & I do see your point about Juan, but I'm not going to let his potential jealously stifle Ana's chances of making friends, no matter how…odd they may be." He said firmly. "Juan is just going to have to deal with it, & should his jealously get out of claw, we'll let him know in no uncertain terms we don't put up with that kind of behaviour, all right?"

"You said it Ralfi!" Pedro said triumphantly. "It's about time Juan realised the world doesn't revolve around him, even if he is a great dancer."

They all laughed at that, & then Nico said: "Alright then guys, let's get on with it. See you guys later, OK?"

Rafael, Eva, Jewel & their kids waved them goodbye as they flew off out of the clearing towards the city.

* * *

Tulio gazed into the mirror mounted on the back of the side table he was standing on. A fine example of what he knew to be _Ara Macao_ gazed back at him. Due to his new more compact size, he was able to see himself in the mirror in his entirety, much like the full-wall mirrors you would find in a ballet school. In his expert judgment, he appeared to be a healthy adult Macaw & nothing about him suggested in any way that he wasn't the Bird he appeared to be, just like Linda & Jules.

Now that the feelings of worry & brief flash of anger he had had over the effect of Jules' formula had been dealt with by the revelations that it was neither permanent nor deliberate, he could devote himself more fully to the feelings of wonder & amazement at the seemingly impossible thing it had achieved. He had thought allowing communication between the human & avian species was stretching the boundaries of science as he knew them, but this wasn't stretching. It was tearing them down, jumping up & down on them & then throwing them out of the window.

Also, not only was it a fascinating experience to actually be a member of a species he had spent his life studying, it was also revealing to him that Bird communication & society in general was more advanced than he had given it credit for. He had known that Blu was a smart bird, able to write & use computers as during Jewel's convalescence from her broken wing Blu had left some notes telling them how she was doing & asking for things such as some fruit they'd like or some books he would like to read. The first time this had happened Tulio had been rather taken aback, but Linda had explained to him that he'd learned how to read & write along with her as they'd grown up together.

But based on what he'd seen so far, it wasn't just Blu. All birds seemed to have full command of spoken language (just not written) & were able to understand & communicate quite complex ideas, just in their own language which the 3 of them could now understand & speak due to their change of form. It also raised the rather uncomfortable issue for Tulio that all the birds in the Centre, including the ones that would eat seed right out of his mouth, were most likely talking to each other all the time & were most likely just humouring him & other humans when they were around by not holding extended conversations & pretending to not understand them.

He glanced over at Linda, Blu, Jules & Ana who were gathered around Linda's computer. Blu was expertly tap-typing his way across the keyboard & Linda was working the mouse with one claw in accordance with the instructions Jules was giving them to complete the order for the material he needed for his turn-us-back-into-humans formula on the R.S.M.S. Website. Ana was watching all this with interest.

Perhaps he could raise the subject of how much birds really understood of humans with Blu or Ana? He wondered. Or would they not want to answer? Blu had been raised away from other birds & his natural home, but he had never mentioned the hidden complexity of bird society until right this morning when he, Linda & Jules had been thrust right into the middle of it. Ana came from the Rainforest & had never acted unusually during the entire time she was in the Centre, apart from listening patiently to Jules stories about what was going on. Tulio had thought she just liked the sound of his voice, but now it seemed she understood every word. Then there was what the Canary, Nico had revealed to him just before they had come over here. A _Samba club_ for & run by birds? Amazing, & something Tulio would quite like to see, but he'd probably have to settle for this party they were talking about this evening, which was intriguing enough in itself.

Perhaps there was a general rule in bird society that you didn't reveal to humans how smart you were, Tulio theorized. He could see the rationale behind it. He would never do such a thing, but there were plenty of unscrupulous scientists out there who's first thought would be to start dissecting bird brains if this big secret was revealed (not that that hadn't already happened, he thought sadly, but they weren't really looking for whatever mechanism this 'Language Matrix" worked on). That would also explain the pleading tone that the Toucan, Rafael had used when he appealed to their status as bird conservationists earlier on to get them to agree not to reveal who they really were. That worked both ways, Tulio realised. Revealing that they were really humans would shake up bird society, but revealing what Jules' formula could do & what they had discovered about birds would shake up human society too, neither of them necessarily for the better.

He looked at Jules thoughtfully. He would have to have a word with him later about this. His comment earlier about Rafael giving him a lot to think about implied that he had realised at least some of the import of his discovery, but he would need to sound him out over just what he now intended to do with & about it once he was back to normal.

At this point in his thoughts, Jules turned his head & noticed Tulio looking at him. He raised his wing in acknowledgement & said: "Hey Tulio, we're just about done. No problems to report, the order has been accepted & will arrive tomorrow, just like we planned."

"That's great news Jules." Tulio said. He spread his wings & fluttered off of the side table to join the others on Linda's desk in front of her computer. "Now for that e-mail to Gloria, right?"

Blu groaned. "I hope it's not a long one guys." He said wringing his claws. "I don't mind doing this honestly, but I'm starting to get claw cramp."

Linda looked sympathetic, but then an idea seemed to strike her. "Oh! I know Blu! Why didn't I think of this before?"

The others looked at her curiously, but she turned & made her way to one the pigeonholes on her desk. She reached in with her beak & clamping down gently with it, then pulled out a large flat rectangular case, which she manoeuvred down onto the desk next to her.

Tulio recognised it & Blu said. "Is that…an iPad? When did you get that?"

"About a week ago." Linda answered. "Fernando encouraged me to get one, & I'd only just finished setting it up. My e-mail account is registered to it & if I'm right, this should be far easier for us to use than a keyboard."

"How so?" said Tulio curiously. Surely their claws would scratch the screen, assuming it would react to them at all?

Linda looked at him, seeming surprised & then her face cleared. "Oh, that's right. You don't know, do you? Blu never used it in your presence." She proceeded to open the iPad's cover saying as she did so: "Blu has used my iPhone on occasion Tulio. It turns out that his feathers can be used to interact with the touchscreen, so it should be same for us on this."

This was intriguing, & Tulio watched with interest along with Blu, Ana & Jules as Linda folded the cover into a stand & then carefully gripped the iPad in her beak, placing it in a horizontal position. She then tapped the central button firmly with her claw & the screen lit up. She unfolded her right wing & gently placed the tip of one of her primary feathers on the locking slider on the screen. "Here goes." She said & moved her feather tip swiftly along the screen.

The device responded beautifully. The slider followed her feather tip, the device unlocked & the main screen came up.

"Wow." Tulio breathed. He had seen that Birds could be quite expressive & dextrous with their wing feathers (again, only this morning though. Another part of the rule?) Frequently using them to gesture for emphasis & for touching or gripping things lightly (for a stronger grip with heavier objects like Jules earlier with the pencil, it was necessary to use the beak &/or claws) but he hadn't considered that the wing feathers could pass for fingers in quite that manner. Ana & Jules looked impressed too & Blu looked interested & a little relieved.

"Indeed." Said Linda, looking pleased. She looked at Blu. "I'm sorry I didn't think of this before Blu." She said apologetically. "We could have saved you the effort of working on the keyboard."

"Aw, that's all right Linda." Blu said, waving his wing dismissively. "I guess I wanted to show off a little too." He gestured to the iPad. "Do you mind if I give it a try? I've always wanted to use one of these, & I should be able to demonstrate the technique I used for your iPhone & send that e-mail you wanted."

"Be my guest." Linda said with a smile as she waved her wing at the device & stepped aside.

Blu moved in front of it & spread his wings out in front of him, intertwining & flexing his primary feathers in an uncanny resemblance to a human flexing their fingers before typing. As the others looked on with interest he used his feather tip to tap the e-mail icon & again, the device responded smoothly, bringing up Linda's e-mail accounts. With a few more precise taps, he then opened up a new e-mail window, brought up the main contact address of the Conservation Centre & activated the virtual keyboard. With his feathers poised over the screen he then met Linda & Tulio's gazes. "Well guys? What do you want to say?"

"We'd best keep it nice & simple." Linda said, frowning & Tulio nodded in agreement.

Jules then spoke up. "Actually guys, when Ana & I were being released from the Centre this morning we overheard them speculating that since Fernando was away for few days, maybe you 2 had taken the opportunity to take a few days off together too. Maybe that's the angle to go with?"

"Hmm. That might do, but it would have to be something more serious for us to miss the party last night." Tulio said. He thought for a moment, and then he said: "I think I've got it." He turned to Blu & said "Ready?"

Blu nodded, & Tulio slowly dictated a message which Blu typed out on the iPad. It apologised for them missing the party, but Linda had had a minor accident & sprained her ankle. ('Why me? You have the accident next time.' Linda said, causing some chuckles.) Because of this, (the message continued) he was taking a few days off with her to look after her & help her recuperate. He finished the message up by saying that Linda's injury was nothing serious & she should be as good as new the day after tomorrow, so could everyone please proceed with the schedule he had left them, which he expected they had done anyway.

Blu's feathers flew over the iPad's virtual keys as he typed this message out, causing admiring looks from all the others at his aptitude. As he finished up the message, he said: "Wow, you were right Linda, this is _much_ easier. I feel like I could do this for hours!"

Linda smiled at that & Tulio ran his eye over the message. "Looks good Blu, go ahead & Send." He said.

Blu did so, & then he said "Any other messages you want to send? How about you Jules? Anyone you want to reassure?"

Jules shook his head. "No, thank you Blu. No-one will be missing me. Not yet, anyway."

Ana looked at him. "Oh, really? No family or friends wondering where you are?" she asked.

Jules shrugged his wings. "No. My parents live in the city, but they have their own lives. I talk to them once a week & we meet up for the occasional dinner, Birthday's & Christmases', but I'm not overdue to contact them. I don't have any other family. The only acquaintances I have are at the Conservation Centre…oh, and some like-minded people I communicate with online, but I've never met them in person."

"I see." Ana said. Tulio looked at her curiously. There was an undefinable edge in her voice, which the others picked up on too. Once again Tulio marvelled at how he was now able to pick up on such subtleties with bird language & expression, which would have been difficult if not impossible before.

Ana didn't seem inclined to elaborate though, & got them back on track. "So, now you've made that order for that stuff you need & contacted your friends, it's just the human hair you need right?" she said.

"Yes, that's right." Jules said. He turned to Linda. "Where would we find your hairbrush, Linda?" he asked.

"In my room, on my dressing table." She answered, gesturing with her wing towards the door of the room, back to the passageway they had come down earlier.

Jules turned to go, but Linda said "Wait, Jules." he stopped & turned back with a questioning expression. "How are you going to transport it & keep it safe until tomorrow?" she asked.

That was a good question, & from the taken aback look on his face, one that Jules hadn't yet considered. "Ah…right." He said, frowning in thought. "We can't really just carry it around loose but we don't have anything like a test tube, do we…" he mused aloud. His eye ridges rose as an idea seemingly struck him & he said: "Ah, Linda, do you have any Sandwich Bags?"

"Yes, in the kitchen." She said frowning. Her face cleared as she followed his line of reasoning. "You'll put it in one of those? That'll keep it…"

"Safe & protected until we're ready to use it." Jules finished smoothly. He inclined his head towards the door. "Do you mind coming with me to show me where you keep the bags, & helping me put the hair in one?"

"Not at all." She said graciously. She followed him down off of the desk & they headed for the door. Ana, Blu & Tulio stayed.

Tulio looked up from watching them exit the room to see that Blu had turned his attention back to the iPad & was idly flicking through the list of Apps. Ana was watching this intently,

"Fascinating Device." She said appreciatively.

Blu's face lit up. "Isn't it just?" he said enthusiastically. "You wanna give it a try?" he moved aside & waved his wing at the screen.

Ana hesitated momentarily, but then said "Sure." She moved in front of it & eyed the list of Apps. "What can I start with?" she asked.

"I know just the thing." Blu said & tapped an icon on the screen. The Loading screen came up.

"_Angry Birds._" Ana read. "What are they angry about?"

Tulio was surprised & Blu looked like he was too. "Oh, Ana, you can read?" he said.

For an instant Ana looked like she'd been caught out, but then she gave a rather forced sounding laugh & said: "Oh, a little. Just what I've picked up here & there, you know. So how does this work?" she finished quickly, gesturing to the screen where the program had loaded.

Diverted, Blu said "Oh, yes. Let me show you…" he proceeded to instruct Ana on how to play the game.

Tulio looked thoughtfully at the back of Ana's head as she got into the playing of the game. They didn't have complete records in the Centre for every bird in the jungle. Such a thing would be impossible, but they did try to keep a kind of loose & general idea of the types & number of birds present. He knew that there were precious few Scarlet Macaws in the area (only 2 had been seen so far) & doing something about that was way down the list of projects he had lined up for the future, as it wasn't like they were endangered worldwide like Blue Macaws were & it was something that may correct itself. As far as he knew, Ana was a bird native to the jungle & it was surprising that she would have learned how to read. He wondered how that had come about, but if the way she had quickly brushed past the subject was any indication she wasn't willing to talk about it.

Putting that issue aside for now, he watched with interest as Ana played the game. She appeared to have a good grasp of the rules & was actually doing pretty well, while looking like she was thoroughly enjoying it too. He got so engrossed in watching her play that he gave a start as he felt a light tap on his shoulder from behind. He looked round to see that Jules & Linda had returned. Jules had a rolled up Sandwich Bag on the desk next to him, inside which a single hair was faintly visible through the layers.

"All ready." He said, indicating it with his wing. At the sound of his voice, Blu & Ana started a little & looked round at them.

"You looked like you were enjoying yourself Ana." Linda said as she walked up to stand beside them. "Are you familiar with such things?" she asked, indicating the iPad with her wing.

"Oh, no, no." Said Ana. "I was just…curious you know. I've heard about Computers, though I've never used one myself. This however, is something totally different. I'm impressed with how easy it is for us to use."

"A happy coincidence." Blu said. "Using a traditional keyboard with our feathers would be far too difficult & it's why I always use my claws, but the modern touchscreen is a perfect fit to the light touch of our feather tips, though I'm sure it wasn't designed with that in mind."

Jules shrugged. "Hey, no offense guys, but it's not like Birds or other animals commonly use Touchscreens, so it's never come up. Although…" He hesitated, frowning. "When I was walking along the beachfront once I could have sworn I saw a monkey using a Smartphone he'd swiped off of one of the tables. I thought I was seeing things at the time, but it looked like he was typing out a message. He returned the phone to the table & ran off before I could think of what, if anything, to do about it."

"Huh. Well, if he was, it was probably for no good purpose." Blu said disdainfully. "Monkeys are nothing but trouble." He caught their curious looks & said with a wave of his wing: "Long story. I'll tell you about it some time."

"Speaking of time Blu, how are we doing?" Linda asked him. "We've done what we need to do here. Do you need to get right back to Jewel & the kids?"

Blu glanced up at the window. "Well, I don't like leaving them too long, you know. They should be expecting me back in the next hour or so. You're sure you're all finished up here?" He asked, turning his gaze on all of them in turn.

They nodded, but Ana looked at the iPad a little wistfully. Tulio noticed her look & said: "Did you want a bit more time with that Ana?"

Once again, Ana looked a bit like she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't. "Oh, no…I know we need to get moving, but…it's such a fascinating thing. Maybe I could use it again sometime." She said.

"I'd have no objection." Linda said. "And I'm glad you like it. It's just a shame I don't have my iPhone with me as that's far more portable…Oh!" She said as a thought struck her. "That's a point actually Jules." she said turning to him. "As well as my keys, my wallet & my phone were in my pockets & disappeared when we changed. Are they lost now? And what about our clothes? Will we turn back…you know…without them? That could be _very_ awkward."

"Oh, no, no, don't worry about that Linda." Jules said, waving his wings placatingly. "The clothes we were wearing are stored along with our human patterns in our Morphogenetic Matrixes. When our human patterns are reactivated by this new formula, our clothes, along with everything else such as items we had in the pockets or were wearing like jewellery or wristwatches, will be restored as well."

Linda sighed. "That's good to hear Jules. Last night, I was wearing a piece of jewellery my mother gave me. I'd hate to think that that was lost as well."

Tulio nodded soberly. Physical items 'stored' along with DNA. Just another thing he wouldn't have thought scientifically possible, but Mr Scientifically Possible appeared to have gone on a long vacation. But then a thought struck him. "Hey, my keys & wallet were in pockets as well when we changed, but I had actually removed my iPhone. I remember dropping it on the floor of the Jeep just before we passed out. If it was separated from me, will it not have been 'stored' in my 'Matrix' the way you're describing?"

"Shouldn't have been." Jules answered. "Only things we were wearing or otherwise close to our bodies."

"So it should still be there." Tulio said thoughtfully. He looked at Blu. "OK, I think we're ready to go. You need to pick up some food for your family right?" Blu nodded. "Do you mind if we also make a slight detour on the way back to see if we can find the Jeep & my phone?" He transferred his gaze to Ana. "If you like using this, you'll probably like using that just as much." She inclined in head in thanks.

"I don't mind at all." Blu said. He paused. "Say, do you guys think you'd be able to carry some fruit too? I'd like to invite you all to have dinner with us, but we'll need to bring some extra."

Tulio, Linda, Ana & Jules exchanged glances. "We should be able to do that, Blu." Linda said. "We'll certainly give it our best try. Thanks for the invite."

"No problem." Blu said happily. "If we're all ready, let me just shut this down…" he said as he used his claw to tap the main button on the iPad next to him. "Oh... it looks like you have a response." He said as they observed the 'New Mail' indication on the iPad's main screen. "May I?" he asked Linda. She nodded, & Blu touched the mail icon & brought up the message. It was from Gloria.

Tulio scanned it. "Good to hear from you…was a little worried." He read. "Everything fine here, don't worry about anything…proceeding with schedule…yadda…yadda… sorry to hear about Linda's accident, is there anything I can do?"

"Aw, that's nice of her." Blu said happily.

"Yes, but I think gentle discouragement is in order." Tulio said. "You mind firing her another quick message?" Blu shook his head, & got his feathers ready in front of the screen.

Tulio dictated another message, thanking her for her concern, but he had everything in hand. He'd be in touch later to let them know how they were getting along, but he had a bit of a sore throat so if she needed to contact him please use his personal e-mail rather than ringing him.

"Clever." Linda commented appreciatively.

"Thank you." Tulio said. "That's also the other reason for finding my phone." He said. "I can stay in touch in case anything comes up. Not that I think it will."

"Well, you never know." Blu said. "All OK?" he indicated the message he just written, & upon Tulio's nod, tapped 'Send'. He then proceeded to gently grip the iPad in his beak, lie it down on the desk & fold the Stand back over the screen to cover it. This done, he looked up at them all. "Well guys, all set?" They nodded. "Then let's get going shall we?"

He fluttered down off of the desk, & they all followed, Jules with the Sandwich Bag held carefully in his beak. They made their way to the window at the end of the corridor though which they had entered, & once again Blu unlatched & opened it.

"Just go across to the other rooftop again guys." He said. "We'll head off to the place where Rafael said your Jeep was & then to the fruit grove in a group, just like before."

They nodded again, & took it in turns to flap up to the shelf & then launch themselves out of the window, fluttering across the neighbouring rooftop. There were no problems with this much simpler manoeuvre than there were entering, & once they were all gathered again in a group, Blu turned, spread his wings, looked back over his shoulder & said "Ready?"

As before, they spread their wings in readiness too & as Blu took off they all followed, on their way back to the Jungle.

* * *

He sat back. Considering the extraordinary information he had just been given.

The 2 who had brought the information to him, watched him carefully. They were always trying to curry his favour, he mused. Stupid, but occasionally useful. Especially if what they had just stumbled on had a grain of truth in it.

"You're sure about this?" he asked.

"Positive, sir." The first & marginally more intelligent one said. "We've relayed exactly what the Macaw calling himself Jules said, & the notes he was working on appear to be real."

"Then you were right to bring this to my attention." He said. The 2 smiled, relieved. "But we must have more information, before we can decide how best to turn this to our advantage." He continued. The 2 stopped smiling, & looked attentive. Excellent.

"You." he said pointing to the first. "Go back to the area & keep this 'Jules' under observation. Standard Protocol, remember. Do Not Be Seen, & report back to me if you discover anything further."

"Yes sir." He said saluting. He turned & left the area swiftly.

"And as for you." He said, turning his attention to the Second. "I have a special job for you." The Second looked pleased, best not to let him get too above himself. "Do Not Fail Me." He said threateningly. The Second cowed appropriately.

He proceeded to give him his instructions, & after having him repeat them back to him to make sure he understood, sent him on his way too.


	8. Chapter 8

**Had a bit of writers block with this chapter, so I spent time fleshing out later sections of the story. I have a better idea of exactly where it's going now.**

**Also, I hope I got Juan right. It's my first attempt at writing an unpleasant character, so please let me know how you think I did.**

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Rio. Who told you I did? Was it…Them?! Well it was all lies, lies I tell you! They're always telling lies about me. I was nowhere near the place, you hear? I don't even own a Rocket Launcher! I know nothing about any cat wearing a Sombrero!**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

"Mom?"

Jewel looked around. She was perched on a branch outside her tree home. Her kids were playing together in the branches & she was taking a short break while staying close & keeping an eye out for Blu's return. Her daughter, Gia, had come up next to her & was addressing her with a hopeful expression on her face.

"Yes, Sweetie?" she asked. She glanced up at Paulo & Andre, who were doing a thoroughly unconvincing impression of 2-brothers-who-had-not-just-got-their-sister-to-ask-their-mom-for-something-&-were-not-watching-at-all-honest. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"Oh no, Mom. We…I...I mean I…wanted to ask you about Auntie Linda…she is coming back later isn't she?" Gia asked.

Jewel's eye ridges rose slightly. "Yes…she is. Why do you ask?"

"Oh…well…it's just…she's not staying long is she…that is, staying here or like she is now?"

Jewel put her head on one side, studying her daughter. "No, no she's not. This whole thing is a one-off unique situation. She'll be back where she should be, the way she should be, tomorrow evening."

"OK then…I was just wondering…if it's all right with you of course…when she gets back, could we spend some time with her?"

So that's what this was about, Jewel thought. She had suspected as much. Ever since that gentle mobbing the kids had given Linda, Tulio & Jules earlier when they had asked them a barrage of questions & the fascinating conversation they had observed Blu & Linda having about their early days, she could see that they really wanted to talk with them themselves, but hadn't had the chance because of them concentrating their efforts on figuring out their current situation & how to get themselves back to normal. Once they were back here & with time on their claws before they left for their little escapade at the Centre tomorrow evening, there would be plenty of time for the kids to finally corner them.

Jewel still felt a little conflicted. One the one claw, they didn't really belong here & they represented the kind of human interference in the jungle that she disliked & wanted to keep her kids away from, but on the other Blu was right, they were friends & family & they actively worked to promote & maintain the exact kind of wild & free existence that she, Blu & her kids enjoyed. There was also the fact that she knew that keeping her kids away from human influences was something that couldn't last anyway. Not only did they love the stories Blu told them, they also listened with fascination to the other adult birds when they spoke of things like the Samba Club & the Carnaval celebrations held in the city, & had already asked her when they'd be old enough to go & see such things for themselves. She just wanted their upbringing to be as natural as possible.

And this thing with Linda, Tulio & Jules wasn't natural. But she was forced to admit, neither was a Blue Macaw being taken from the jungle, raised by a human & then returned. And that same upbringing had given him the skills needed to get them out of their cages not once, but twice when the 'natural' thing would have been for them to remain trapped. And when it came right down to it, the 'natural' response to something like her broken wing or the other ailments the jungle birds occasionally came down with would be death rather than the aid they received from the Centre. Perhaps sometimes, 'natural' just didn't cut it anymore.

She looked down at her daughter, who was nervously shuffling her claws on the branch, & softened. As she had just said, this was a unique one-off situation.

"It's all right with me, sweetie." She said. As her daughter's face lit it up, Jewel looked up & beckoned for Andre & Paulo to come over. They did so & she then addressed all of them: "I have no objection to you spending time with Linda & Tulio, but I must ask you to bear in mind 2 things, OK?" They nodded, & she continued: "The first is that you mustn't crowd them. I don't want a repeat of this morning where you flooded them with questions & didn't give them a chance to answer, alright?" They nodded again & she went on: "Good. The second is that you must remember what we said to you earlier. Do you remember?"

"Oh…yes." Paulo said after a moment's thought. "Who they really are is a secret & could hurt them badly if we let it out. I don't want to hurt Auntie Linda."

"Me neither." Gia agreed.

"Nor me." Andre put in.

"Excellent." Jewel said, smiling at them. "That's my boys & my girl." They smiled back & she went on: "So just remember to be careful that no-one can overhear you, ok? Rafael & Eva know, but we don't want anyone else too, so if & when you do have a chat with them make sure there's no-one who can overhear." She said a little dryly as she glanced around, making sure that there was no-one eavesdropping on them at that moment. "I know it's asking a lot of you my dears, so just do your best. Should it slip out accidentally, don't worry or panic. They all know that keeping it a secret is important so just go along with whatever excuse they come up with for you, like you're just playing a game or something like that."

They looked at each other & then back at her, nodding a little uncertainly this time. Jewel hastened to reassure them: "Hey, I know that I've always told you not to conceal the truth, but on some rare occasions its necessary & I can assure you that this is one of those occasions. I certainly don't want you to do anything like this otherwise. Do you understand?"

They nodded again, more certainly this time. "They should be back in a little while." Jewel said. "Until then, how about I tell you the story of how your Dad & I met?"

They had already heard this story many times, but they never got tired of it. They agreed enthusiastically, & Jewel settled them down on the branches & began.

* * *

The four Scarlet & one Blue Macaw flew through the jungle. Each of them was carrying something in either their beak or their claws. Jules had the sandwich bag containing the precious hair clamped in his beak & Linda had a black leather case gripped in hers. Blu, Tulio & Ana were each carrying a Watermelon gripped in their claws. Blu & Ana were doing it expertly from long practice, but Tulio was having a bit more trouble.

"Um, Tulio, are you _sure_ you don't want Jules or Linda to help you out?" Blu suggested tactfully after they had stopped for the third time so that Tulio could adjust his grip on the fruit.

"No, no, Blu its fine, I assure you. I _can_ do this." Tulio insisted.

Linda caught Blu's gaze & rolled her eyes. The two Watermelon's would have been just enough between them all, but Tulio had insisted on carrying one himself despite his inexperience with the activity. Linda suspected that since he had now lightened up a little about their situation, he was indulging a measure of his Pride & wanted to prove that he could do it just as well as the 'real' birds he'd studied all his life.

"Right, I've got it this time, I promise you." Tulio said, getting himself into the ready position to take off with the fruit.

"OK." Blu said. "It's not much further anyway. It's my tree we're headed for, remember."

The others nodded, & then they all took off again. Despite Linda's concern & expectation that at any moment Tulio would drop the Watermelon, he managed to carry it all the Blu's tree without further incident. He placed it down along with the others, looking rather pleased with himself as Jewel & her kids came over to meet them. Jules & Ana laid their items down on the ground by their claws.

"Welcome back." Jewel said. "Everything go all right?"

"Everything went fine, Jewel." Blu answered. "The stuff Jules needs is on its way to the Centre, & we've reassured everyone there that these guys are fine."

"That's good." she said. She looked at the items Jules & Linda had set down. "The hair you needed &…what's that?" she pointed at the case Linda had been carrying.

"It's Tulio's iPhone." Linda said. "We brought it along in case we needed to stay in touch with our friends between now & tomorrow night. Well that, & Ana wanted to try it out too. She seems to have a knack for technology."

"Oh she does, does she?" said Jewel, looking at Ana curiously. Ana returned her look with an innocent one of her own & Jewel looked away. "Well, that's her business, of course." She turned her attention to the Watermelons. "More than we need…let me guess, you invited them back for Dinner?"

"Yes." Blu said firmly. He looked ready to defend the action, but Jewel just nodded.

"Ok, then." She said. "We're hungry & I assume you all are too, so why don't we eat now & we'll talk about afterwards about what you guys are going to do next."

Blu looked relieved & readily assented to her suggestion. They proceeded to divide up the fruit & after Blu & Ana had given Linda, Tulio & Jules some pointers about how to carve them up they dug in. As Blu ate, he related to Jewel & his kids what they had been up to in the Bookstore. Linda, Tulio & Jules however, didn't chat as they were more focused on enjoying the taste of the fruit, though they managed to restrain themselves from the unbridled enthusiasm they had shown over it earlier & ate much more sedately.

When they had finished, Tulio sighed. "Absolutely wonderful." He said. "We'll have to see about trying out some other foods with these taste buds before we have to give them up."

"Well, we'll have time." Jules said. "Everything is in motion & we just need to keep ourselves occupied until tomorrow evening."

"About that, guys." Blu interjected. "You're still coming along to the party this evening right?" They nodded. "Good." He turned to Ana "Are you coming along too Ana? I know they're not really your thing, but we'd really like to have you there…."

Ana looked a little conflicted. She glanced at Jules as she said: "Well…Jules has a point. This is a special occasion…"

Blu pounced on the opening her wavering gave him. "Please say yes, Ana. This will be a more low-key affair than the ones in the club in the city, & you can always just sit on the side-lines & observe if you want."

"That's certainly my intention." Jules put in. "I'm not one for parties either, but I'd be very interested to observe at least."

Ana paused briefly, & then said: "Sure, Blu. I'll come."

"That's fantastic." Blu said happily. "Well, it won't get started until this evening so you have plenty of time to pass until then. Any ideas as to what you want to do?"

They considered, & then Jules said: "Well, now that everything is in place for me to set things right, I have the time to do some serious thinking about my discovery. I meant what I said earlier about Rafael giving me a lot to think about, & after I find a safe place to store this…" he tapped the bag containing the hair with his claw. "…I want to go back to my notes…" he pointed with his wing feather to where they were still visible where he had left them in Blu's tree. "…& get down to serious consideration of what I should, & more importantly, should _not_ do with it."

Tulio nodded in understanding. "I'll want to have a word with you about that later as well Jules." He said seriously. "You do your consideration, but be sure to include me in whatever conclusions you come up with alright?" Jules nodded in return, & Tulio went on: "As for the bag, there's the tree Rafael settled us in last night. You can leave it safely in there. That's also where we'll be staying tonight. That should be an interesting & novel experience."

"You got it." Jules nodded. He paused briefly. "Speaking of a place to stay the night, I'd better look for somewhere too. Maybe that Observation Tower…"

Ana partly opened her beak, but then closed it again. The others didn't notice & Linda said: "Oh, don't be silly Jules, you can stay with us. The Hollow is plenty big enough for all of us, & we can bunk down together just for one night." She turned to Ana. "Do you have a place to stay tonight Ana? You'd be welcome too, if not."

Ana paused for a moment, then she said: "No…No guys, it's alright thanks. I have a place to stay. Rafael said he'd make sure my home was kept safe for me while my wing was being seen to in the Centre." The others nodded & Ana went on: "And speaking of which, I probably should head on over there to check it over."

"Make sure to get back before the sun reaches 3-quarters then Ana." Blu warned. "That's when Rafael & the guys have scheduled the party to kick-off." She bowed her head in acknowledgement & Blu turned to Linda & Tulio. "Well, that's Jules & Ana. How about you guys?"

They paused for a moment considering, & Gia, Paulo & Andre fidgeted slightly. Jewel noticed & looked down at them. They gave her an appealing look.

"As a matter of fact guys…" she began slowly. They all looked at her & she continued: "I was wondering if…you'd like to spend a little time with Gia, Paulo & Andre here. They wouldn't be around if not for you after all, & you haven't seen that much of them have you? Just a few check-ups in the Centre, & the brief time we tag along with you on the Hang-glider trips…"

Linda & Tulio looked touched, & Blu looked pleased too.

"We would like that very much Jewel." Linda said. "It's…all right with you then?"

"Oh, its fine." She said, waving a dismissive wing. "Listen guys, I know I've been a bit...firm about these guys not getting too close to…human influences. No offence."

"None taken." Linda said. "We know that's important." She added, glancing at Tulio, who nodded sagely.

"Thank you…but I do know that you can't really go too far with something like that…& you _are_ family in a way…& this _is_ a special occasion with you all here like this…well, what I'm saying is, it's about time these guys got to spend a little time with their Aunt & get to know her a little better."

Linda was visibly moved. "That's…so nice Jewel. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Just don't think they'll be going home with you & sharing a room with Fernando or anything."

They laughed. "Oh don't worry about that Jewel. I'm just glad I have the chance to give my side of the story about things like the Park Incident…"

Blu's face abruptly fell, & he rapidly shook his head & made frantic cutting-off motions with his wing in Linda's direction. Jewel looked puzzled & curious. "What 'Park Incident?'" she said looking between Blu & Linda.

Linda looked surprised, but then a sly look came over her face as she looked at Blu. "Oho…you haven't told them about that then Blu?"

Blu was flustered. "H...Hey, now look Linda, I _said_ I was really, really sorry in that note I wrote you & I meant it. Can't…can't we just leave it alone? I'm sure Jewel & the kids wouldn't want to hear about that…"

"If I didn't before I certainly do now." Jewel said, amused by Blu's evident discomfort with the subject.

Blu opened his beak to protest further, but seeing the look on Linda's & Jewel's faces he stopped & sighed, defeated. "Great. Thanks a bunch Linda; I'll never hear the end of it now."

"Hey, I had to do a _lot_ of explaining & apologizing to everyone involved Blu." Linda said firmly. "You went & hid in the store if I recall, so consider this payback."

Blu groaned but nodded ruefully as he accepted her comment. Ana then spoke up: "Well, looks like you guys will be having fun. I really need to go check on my home though, so I'll see you later OK?" she turned to go & half-spread her wings, but paused & looked directly at Blu. "Before 3-quarters. Don't worry, I won't forget." Blu nodded once & Ana then turned & took off, flying off through the Jungle Canopy.

They watched her go, & then Jewel turned back to the others. "Well, let's get down to it OK?" They nodded & she looked down at her kids. "C'mon guys, lets' spend a little time with your Aunt & Uncle."

Tulio looked touched at being named in that way & they all moved together to the flat area up in Blu & Jewel's tree.

Jewel looked sidelong at Blu. "_Park Incident_?" She said softly. Blu just looked pained & waved his wing in a vague 'later' gesture before following the others.

* * *

Ana flew through the Jungle, swooping down & alighting on the branch of a tree.

Home, Sweet Home, she thought rather ruefully as she folded her wings & approached the partially concealed hollow that was the entrance. Ducking her head into the hollow, she gazed upon the interior. Just as Rafael had promised, everything was untouched & accounted for, just with a little bit of mustiness after having been left dormant during her stay in the Centre.

"Ana!" a voice called joyously from behind her. "You're home!"

Ana jerked her head out the hollow & looked round. A Female Hyacinth Macaw was flying down from higher up in the Jungle Canopy to land on the branch near her.

"Hello Carol." Ana said with a smile as she approached the other bird & they exchanged a friendly hug. "Yes, I'm back & as good as new." She added, spreading out her left wing & giving it a gentle shake.

"Oh, I am so glad you're alright darling." Carol said. "I've been keeping an eye on your hollow just like Rafael asked, & everything's fine. No-one's tried to move in or mess with any of your things."

"I appreciate that Carol, thank you." Ana said graciously.

"Any time, my dear. So they took good care of you at the Centre?" Upon Ana's nod, Carol smiled. "We did try to tell you they would. Always the Headstrong & Independent one though eh? Ever since you were a chick."

"I had an excellent teacher." Ana said dryly, looking at her meaningfully. Carol laughed.

"It's so nice to have you back dear." Carol continued. "Kelly & Wesley have missed you. Felipe is giving them some flying lessons at the moment."

"They must be pretty big by now." Ana commented.

"Oh, yes. Fine young Birds both of them…" Carol said. She paused for a moment. "I…was just wondering Ana. Have you heard about this little get-together Rafael is arranging this evening?"

"Yes." Ana said shortly.

"Well, my dear…is there any way at all I can convince you to come?" She rushed on, as if anticipating an objection from her: "Now, I know you don't usually like these sorts of things, but you really should consider…"

Ana interrupted her. "I am coming."

Carol looked rather taken aback. "…oh…oh! You are? That's great Ana! I…I just assumed you wouldn't you know, especially since you've never liked that sort of thing. But you are coming? Wonderful! Felipe & I think that Kelly & Wesley will really enjoy it. They're not old enough for The Branch yet, but Rafael has promised this get-together will be the perfect introduction for that sort of thing."

"So I hear." Ana agreed.

"Oh yes." Carol paused for a moment & then said: "So Ana, would you like to come along with us then? It would be so much nicer as part of a group wouldn't it?"

Ana smiled, & then said: "Thank you Carol…but I'm already going with a group. Blu & Jewel with their kids &…some new arrivals from this morning."

"Oh?" Carol said curiously, tilting her head on one side.

"Yes." Ana said. May as well get it out now, she thought. "It's a group of Scarlet Macaws that I met when I was in the Centre."

Carol's face lit up. "Oh, Ana that's wonderful!" she said joyously. "Finally some of your own kind to be friends with…or…" She gave Ana a shrewd look. "Maybe something more eh? Any handsome unattached males part of this group?"

In spite of herself Ana blushed, the white skin around her eyes going a light pink. She should have known Carol would jump straight to that. "Oh, no, no." she said quickly. "Nothing like that. We're just friends."

"Oh, I see…" Carol said. "And who is it you're 'Just Friends' with?"

"It's a pair named Linda & Tulio, and yes, we did note the coincidence of their names to them." Ana said. "And one other named Jules. He's very nice & quite smart, able to read & everything."

"Just your type eh?" Carol said winking at her.

Ana flushed again. She knew Carol meant well, but it was time to put a stop to this. "Carol please, it's nothing like that. They were all unfamiliar with the wild so I helped them adjust, but they're not staying. They're all leaving tomorrow evening." She said firmly.

Carol's face fell. "Oh…really? I…I am sorry about that dear."

"Don't be." Ana shrugged. "It's nice to spend some time with them, but I knew right from the start that it was only temporary."

"Yes, of course." Carol said. "It's just that…I really hoped you might finally…"

"Yes, I know." Ana said quietly. "That's just not an option."

"Alright dear." Carol said. "Sorry for teasing, but you know we care about you. We always have, ever since you…"

"Carol." Ana interrupted her quickly, holding a wing feather up against her beak to silence her. "Please…don't."

Carol nodded, & Ana lowered her feather. "Yes dear. I'm sorry."

"Forget about it." Ana said briskly. "Yes, this event looks like fun & these new arrivals are quite interested in seeing it too. They're all from human backgrounds like Blu was, so they're not really up to speed on most things about life in the Jungle & Bird Society. When you meet them, just bear that in mind in case they seem a bit…odd."

Carol raised her eye ridges slightly at that, but she seemed to accept Rafael's cover story as she said. "Will do dear."

"They're currently spending some time with Blu & his family." Ana went on. "They're getting on very well with him you know, similar experiences, & all that. I just came back to check my place over & tidy it up & I'll be re-joining them later so we can all go on to the party together."

"Excellent Ana." Carol said approvingly. "I'll leave you to it then. Felipe will be back with the kids to our nest soon. I'll let them know you're back & we'll all meet up at the party later then, eh? Perhaps you could introduce us to your friends there?"

"Sure thing Carol." Ana said.

"Until later then dear." Carol said happily. She turned & spread her wings, & then took off from the branch, flying off through the Jungle. Ana watched her until she was out of sight amongst the foliage, and then turned her attention back to her hollow.

She busied herself with cleaning it out & tidying it up. This wasn't a complex operation, so her mind had time to wander as she was doing it.

Her & Jules? An understandable assumption for Carol to make seeing as she didn't know who, or more precisely _what_ he really was. Ana wondered uncomfortably if any of the other birds who didn't know his true nature had leapt to that conclusion too. Admittedly, she had been hanging around him a lot, but that was because of the debt she owed him for taking care of her wing & her interest in seeing him getting himself, Linda & Tulio back to normal. If she ever was to settle down with another Macaw it would hopefully be with someone as Smart & as Handsome as him…

Ana checked that thought. She straightened up with a twig still held in her beak & a frown on her brow. _Handsome?_ Was he really? She considered it objectively for a moment. Yes, she supposed he was, or rather the appearance he now had was. He had retained his lean figure & even eye colour from his human appearance, (which looked a little odd) but objectively speaking, he made a fine figure of a Macaw. But even if Ana hadn't known his secret, she wouldn't have been attracted to just that. She had always admired intellect over physical appearance, & was the reason why she couldn't stand that arrogant, empty-headed pretty-boy from the far side of the Jungle.

She frowned again. She hadn't thought about him for a while. Had deliberately avoided doing so, in fact. Now that she was back, she could expect him to start pestering her again, going on about them being "meant to be" & other such rubbish. She would much rather have the company of anyone else, Macaw or otherwise, than his.

Ana sighed. She put down the twig she was carrying, nudging it carefully into place in her nest. Once Jules, Linda & Tulio had made their new formula & taken it, she would be alone again. Oh, not literally of course. Carol & her family were lovely neighbours & Rafael called in on her regularly just like he did for most Birds in the jungle, but she had liked having first Jules' company, then Linda & Tulio's as they navigated their way through this very strange adventure caused by Jules' formula.

Ana paused, considering. Jules' Formula. Quite an extraordinary discovery, albeit an accidental one. She wondered what Jules was going to do with it once he was back to normal. He had said that he had a lot to think about & Ana agreed with Rafael about how potentially disruptive it could be. Jules himself appeared to accept that based on his earlier comment about 'what he should, & more importantly, _should not_ do with it.' Based on what she knew about him, he wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone, Bird or otherwise, but this discovery was really _really_ big. Any species, he had said. Any species you could get a DNA sample from, you could become. This presumably meant that (as long as he could get a DNA sample) Jules could make a formula that could turn _anyone_ into _anything_. That was a huge, potentially _world-changing_ discovery. Would the potential for Fame & Riches turn his head? She didn't think so, but it still left the question of what, exactly, he _was_ going to do with it.

Maybe she could ask him? She wondered. She fully intended to go back & join up with them before the party. If Jules was immersed in his considerations about his Formula's potential, it may be the ideal time to sound him out. She hoped he'd be open to advice should it appear that he was on the wrong track, but Ana was uncomfortably reminded that, should he want to do anything disruptive with his formula, there wasn't much she could do about it. That would fall to his boss, Tulio, & even then, Jules could just go elsewhere.

She really hoped it wouldn't be that way. He had always seemed such a kind & reasonable individual. Ana had felt a bond of trust with him when they had first met, so she really hoped her assessment of him was accurate & he wouldn't be swayed by the potential fame & fortune his discovery could bring him.

In this point in her mediations, Ana's gaze fell on wooden box stored neatly away in one corner of her hollow. She looked at for a few moments, & then made her way over to it. Placing a claw on top of the box, she carefully pushed the lid open & reached inside. She withdrew her claw carefully holding a very small book, only a few inches in size. She placed it down on the floor, & still taking care, opened it near the end. She found what she was looking for & read it. She then looked up with a thoughtful & slightly worried expression on her face.

Life imitating fiction, she thought. She really, really hoped that these events would have a happier outcome though, & she resolved to do her best to ensure that. She wouldn't want Jules to end up like…

Her thoughts were suddenly & rudely interrupted by a well-remembered, & thoroughly disliked, voice coming from outside her hollow.

"Ana Darling! Are you home? Your Lovebird wants to welcome you back!"

Ana moved swiftly. She quickly but carefully closed the book & replaced it back in the box, closing the lid after it. She then rapidly moved to the entrance to her hollow, & steeling herself, she popped her head out through it, coming face to face with a Male Scarlet Macaw.

"Ana! Darling! Sweetest!" he gushed, spreading his wings wide as if he expected her to fall right into them. "I've missed you so much. How about a hug for your Beloved?"

Ana exited her hollow, but then folded her wings in front of her. "Hello Juan." She said frostily. "What do you want?"

Juan looked hurt. "Oh Ana darling, aren't you happy to see me?" He said. "I'd hoped your little misadventure would have mellowed you out a little & helped you see the truth."

She knew she would regret asking, but she did anyway. "What truth?"

"Why, that you need me of course." He said with concern. "Oh, I just shudder to think about it. Pretty little you, injured, helpless, alone. If only I had been with you I could have comforted you, stemmed your tears while we waited…"

"Don't dramatize it Juan. It hurt, obviously, but I didn't cry." She said.

"Oh, putting on a brave face were you? That is _so_ adorable."

In the face of his patronizing tone, Ana felt her temper stirring, but pushed it down. It was amazing how easily Juan could irritate her with almost every word out of his beak. "Everything was fine Juan." She said. "Carol found me & got some help. They got me found by the humans at the Centre & they treated my wing, & they did great job."

"Humph. At least they're good for something." Juan said disdainfully. "Stupid creatures, for the most part. Even all their 'Science' & 'Invention' usually just make things worse for everyone who isn't them. They can't even understand our language! Their music isn't bad, I admit, but I still say we'd be a lot better off without them around."

"You don't know what you're talking about Juan." Ana said icily. "Humans have done many wonderful things & some of them are _very_ smart indeed."

"Oh, let's not talk about them my sweet." He said, waving a dismissive wing. "Let's talk about us."

"I keep telling you Juan, there is no 'us'" She said firmly.

"Oh, please dearest; let us not play this 'hard-to-get' game any longer. What if no-one had found you when you were hurt? No, no, Ana darling, you really need a strong, handsome guy to take care of you, & luckily for you, I'm available."

"Well, I'm not." She snapped.

"Oh, Ana, you know we 2 were meant for each other." He said. "We are the only ones of our kind in this area after all, so we…"

"Not any more, we're not."

She instant the words left her beak, she regretted them. She hadn't intended to tell Juan about Jules & Co, she'd said it just to wipe that smug look off of his face & although this happened, she realised that she had just made things _very_ complicated.

"What…what is this you say? Others?" Juan said, taken aback.

Ana knew she probably shouldn't persist, but it was so satisfying to finally see Juan on the wrong claw. He would have found out them eventually anyway, so Ana couldn't resist a little jab at him. "Oh, yes." She said airily. "A group of Scarlet Macaws was released from the Centre along with me. They're _very_ nice company. We get along so well."

"Wha…What? Are…are you saying that…I have…competition, for your affections?" Juan said.

His bewilderment was comical in a way. There was nothing to stop other Scarlet Macaws from moving into the area if they so wished, but it spoke volumes about Juan's easy assumption that things would always go his way. But this 'affections' assumption needed to be quashed.

"Oh, no" she said still in that same airy tone. "I just like their company. They're smart, funny, & we have the most interesting conversations. This one male is do much more interesting & enlightening company than I'd had available up until now…"

Ana was enjoying taking these jabs at Juan. She'd have to put up with his unwanted advances for ages, & it was delicious to be able to take him down a branch a too. She suddenly noticed however, that upon her last comment his bewildered expression lightened. "Oh, that's excellent Ana" He said. "I knew I'd always be the one you'd want. And you turning down this other proves it. We 2 are meant to be together. How about we spend some time together tonight then? All the others will be at this little gathering Rafael & his friends are arranging. We can be alone together the way we were meant to be."

Ana's temper was rising again. She thought she was really denting his self-esteem with those jabs, but he'd just brushed them off like they were nothing & returned right to his deluded view of their relationship. Specifically, that they even had one. Geez, why didn't this guy get it? She couldn't stand him! She folded her wings in front of her again.

"Sorry Juan, I'm busy tonight. Lots to do rearranging my hollow, & then I'll be preening my feathers." She lied.

A faint note of suspicion entered Juan's manner. "Oh really? Not spending time with this other Macaw then?" He said.

Oh, so not _totally_ immune then. But she wasn't going to persist in trying to needle him. "No." she lied again. "Rafael told me about this get-together, but I won't be attending. No point really, since I don't have anyone to go with."

For an instant Juan looked torn, but she knew he wouldn't want to go to the party. He loved The Branch as it was a place to show off his dancing skills & be admired by all the ladies, but he would by necessity not be the focus of attention at this chick-friendly party, & he wouldn't be able to stand that.

"No, no. we wouldn't want to go there my sweet." He conceded. He still looked suspicious though. "So, when you're done preening perhaps we could…"

Ana had had enough. "I like to do it _very_ thoroughly Juan." She said. "Now if you'll excuse me I have a lot to do." She turned around & re-entered her hollow.

Mercifully, despite his other flaws Juan never persisted after she'd clearly ended their little chats. It was the only reason she hadn't murdered him yet. Ana could hear him hesitate for a moment, but then he spread his wings & took off.

Ana peaked out surreptitiously. Yes, he really was leaving. She sighed as he disappeared from view. She just hoped Jules & the others could avoid bumping into him until it was time for them to go. She had a feeling that should they meet, it wouldn't be pleasant.


	9. Chapter 9

**Still paddling my way slowly between the story-chunk islands of my fic. **

**Thanks for the reviews so far & I welcome Criticism to help it improve. This chapter is more exposition-heavy but the upcoming party chapter should hopefully be more enjoyable. There's one or 2 little references to some of my favorite movies in here too. Can you spot them?**

**Disclaimer: According to the note I found inside this fortune cookie, I don't own Rio. And who am I to argue with ancient wisdom like that?**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

"…& everyone & everything there was just _covered_ in Trifle." Linda finished.

Tulio, Jewel & her kids looked at Blu, & then burst out laughing. He had a pained expression as he propped his head against his wing & shook it side-to-side with his eyes closed.

"Wow Dad, you really did that?" Andre questioned him with wide eyes.

Blu removed his head from his wing & shifted gears into 'stern parent' mode. "Yes, yes I did son, & it was very foolish & unwise of me." He said fixing his kids with his gaze. "I certainly don't want any of you guys engaging in such silly behaviour, is that clear? You agree, right Jewel?" he appealed to her.

Jewel also put on a stern face. "Absolutely Blu. Kids, listen to your father. I don't want you to engage in any such…such…" her stern facade was cracking & she was struggling to keep a straight face. "…hilarious behaviour…" she broke down in a fit of giggles.

"Jewel!" Blu said in annoyance. He looked at Linda. "I hope you're happy." He huffed.

Linda looked unrepentant, & Jewel controlled her mirth long enough to nudge Blu in his side. "Hey, Lighten Up Blu." She said. "I never thought you had such a fun side."

"Fun, huh?" Blu said. He turned to Linda with a glint in his eye. "Well, if we're talking about _fun_ I know just the thing." As Linda looked a little apprehensive at this he spoke to his kids. "How would you guys like to play some fun games with your Aunt? How about we start with…Tree-Point-Tag?"

Jewel stopped sniggering & looked a little concerned. "Hey, Blu, that involves a lot of flying…"

She was drowned out however by the cheers that Andre, Paulo & Gia gave. They rushed forward & began tugging at Linda's wing, trying to pull her along. She looked uncertain & gave Blu, Jewel & Tulio a concerned look. "Hey…now guys…you know I'm not that used too…" she began.

"Nonsense." Blu said warmly, moving up alongside her & putting his wing around her to gently punt her along. "We're all going to have such _fun_. Much better than telling-embarrassing-old-stories-about-each-other-that-certain-people-perhaps-shouldn't-have-told-if-they-didn't-want-to-face-the-consequences type fun." He finished, giving Linda a meaningful look.

Dragged along by Blu & his kids, Linda gave Tulio & Jewel an appealing look, & they came up alongside.

"Don't worry Linda." Jewel said. "It really is a fun game, just rather energetic. We'll start off nice & easy, I assure you. Won't we guys?" she said fixing Blu & her kids with a stern look. "We wouldn't want your Aunt's first day in our world to involve any accidents."

"Oh, we already had a near miss earlier." Tulio said as he looked up at Jules, who was ensconced comfortably in the tree branches surrounded by his notes from earlier. He had also retrieved one of the automatic pencils & was tapping it slowly & thoughtfully against the bottom part of his beak as he frowned at them, lost in his thoughts & paying absolutely no attention to anything else.

The others followed his gaze, & Blu said: "Do you think…Jules would like to join in?…"

Tulio shook his head. "No, no, leave him be. He has a lot to think about with this formula of his & its best we let him work it out. I'll check up on him later."

Blu shrugged his wings. "Ok." He transferred his attention back to his impatient kids. "C'mon guys, lets fill them in on the rules." He gave Linda an evil smirk. "Don't worry, it's really a walk in the…_Park_ once you get used to it."

Linda groaned but accepted Blu's good-natured revenge.

* * *

Jules frowned at his notes.

Now that he had made arrangements as best he could to get himself, Linda & Tulio back to normal, he had the time to turn his mind to the deeper implications & possibilities of his formula.

Instantaneous Physical Transformation with no loss of Cognitive Function. Something that Traditional Science as he knew it didn't allow for, & only one researcher (as far as he knew) had even hinted at. But although the good Dr Tennyson had theorized the existence of an underlying Morphogenetic Matrix for Organic life that could be "reprogrammed" by external stimuli, he couldn't provide any evidence or method by which this Matrix could be accessed, manipulated or even proven to exist, which is why most Scientists had laughed at him & dismissed his ideas. As proof went though, this was pretty conclusive. Jules felt like a little like someone who had been Scuba Diving for a few ancient pots & had discovered the lost city of Atlantis, or who had discovered Cold Fusion while tinkering around with a coffee maker to get it to make better coffee.

It had been Jules' intention to create a means by which the Human & Bird worlds could be "Bridged" by allowing free communication between them, but this wasn't a bridge. It was like a revolving door…or no, perhaps more like a Student Exchange program. But that wasn't really right either, for no-one had authorised them to do this (& who would be doing the authorising in such a scenario anyway? He wondered). As far as he could tell, there was absolutely no way the 3 of them could be distinguished physically from real Birds, which brought some rather uncomfortable issues. A lot of the secrets of this world were being quite casually revealed to them by those Birds who didn't know the truth, such as Nico's casual mention to them of the Bird Samba club, The Branch. Was it like they were…_spies_? Or not as bad as that, like they were trespassing somewhere they shouldn't be? They intended no harm, he was sure Blu & Rafael understood that & Tulio & Linda appeared to be getting along with Blu & his family really well if the outburst of laughter he had heard from them moments ago was any indication. Jules was sure that if it had been up to Blu, he would have (to use yet another analogy) issued a Temporary Visa to Linda & Tulio to visit his world.

Rafael had been right though. If they had gone around blabbing to everyone who they really were, the range of reactions would have run the gamut from excitement to hostility, & they had already had a sample of the "excited" reactions from Rafael's kids. That Genie had been stoppered before he could get fully out of the bottle, but the issue was now that the massive power & potential of this particular Genie now lay there, on Jules' laboratory table. What was he going to do with it? Throw it back in the ocean & forget he ever found it? He couldn't do that, for 2 reasons. The first was that if he could find it, someone else could eventually too. To be sure, his approach was unconventional & flew in the face of much established Science which would put almost every other scientist off the scent, but that didn't mean that someone else couldn't stumble their way in eventually, just like he had. This was why he had to study it, work it out, try to his utmost to work out how to harness the power of this Effect for the benefit of all, not Humans _or_ Birds but Humans _&_ Birds, before someone else did.

But how? _How?_ He had come this far with some help from his Internet Contacts, hobbyist inventors he had met in online discussion areas. One in particular had given him some much needed advice on how to custom-build his own equipment, in return for Jules' advice on the lesser known & largely theoretical branch of Molecular Synthesis called Hydrogenetic Mutation. But he couldn't let on even to them about what he had discovered as he didn't really know them. Nor could he let anyone else know about it, for the simple & rather sad reason that if he announced his discoveries officially, control of his project would be taken out of his hands by those with vested & greedy interests. To take just one immediate example that he had first-hand knowledge of, flying under your own power was an amazing experience, & Jules knew that there were those who would pay a fortune to experience it. The same went for being able to run _literally_ as fast as a Cheetah or a Horse or swim _literally_ like a Dolphin or a Seal, for if Jules was right (& he was sure he was) all you would have to do is make his formula again using a DNA sample from those respective species to recalibrate the Compilation Matrix, & Bam! An all-access pass to the Animal Kingdom.

That prospect also brought up another issue that Jules had had in the back of his mind ever since he had begun his project. He had suspected (& now had had proved) that Birds could understand each other beyond the simple sounds that they made, but did this extend to animals other than Birds? On one end of the spectrum, did the growls & roars of Lions contain conversations about the hunt & Pride life & on the other end did the squeaks of Rats contain discourse about the ins & outs of scavenging for scraps? With his formula, there was now the potential to find out, assuming that Rafael, Blu or his friends didn't already know & would tell him if he just asked.

Yet another issue was the whole "instinct" thing. Jules could now feel (& he supposed it was the same for Linda & Tulio) a certain affinity deep inside himself for the whole process of flying & he supposed it was a similar deal for the sudden massive increase in their taste & appreciation for fruit as these were natural parts of a Bird's life. This probably meant that other species probably came with their own associated sets of instinctive "baggage" as well which a human entering that state would have to deal with. Would a Predator's desire to hunt & eat raw meat prove difficult for a human consciousness to reconcile? Being able to run as fast as a Cheetah would be cool, but having the desire to chase down & tear other animals apart to devour them less so (or at least, so he felt, but once again, that feeling could possibly be influenced by his current form) It depended on just how strong those instincts were & the type of person, Jules theorized. Maybe such behaviour _would_ be appealing to a certain type of person & they wouldn't _want_ to fight it, assuming again that it was a fight. Perhaps it would manifest as nothing more than a preference rather than a compulsion. It was impossible to know without testing it, really. Tulio & Jewel had also pointed out earlier that they weren't slaves to instinct in these forms, but whether that was the same for other more aggressive species was another matter. Once again, this was something that Rafael, Blu & his friends might know & be willing to tell him if he asked.

Jules sighed internally. He put the pencil down & reached up to his face to remove his glasses & pinch the bridge of his nose, only remembering with a start that he no longer had glasses or a nose when he saw his claw futilely trying to grip the air in front of his face. His embarrassment turned to amusement with this indirect proof that he still retained his mannerisms despite his altered form, & he settled for closing his eyes & using his claw to gently grip the bridge of his beak instead.

This whole thing was just so _deep_. Layers & Layers & a whole new frontier of knowledge & experience ripe for study. He could be famous if he presented it to the world, but the potential for fame & riches didn't tempt him. He also wasn't one of those scientists who believed in Science for its own sake, & that all discoveries must be made public in the interest of expanding the Human understanding of the Universe. All along, his focus had been (& still was) on how Science can serve & harmonize with Nature, not undermine it. And as much as it pained him to admit it, he had to agree with Rafael that making his discovery public would only harm both the Bird & the Human world. It was not ready, the world was not ready for it, & it _would_ be abused by unscrupulous people, which would cause untold damage to not only the Bird world, but possibly all the other orders of nature too. Much like how a natural beauty spot could be ruined by too much tourism, having a flood of humans (no matter how well-intentioned) bustling around the Natural world in altered forms could mess up the natural order royally. Because of that, he knew that as soon as he was back to normal he was going to have to withdraw his application to the review board. Nobody would know about the true effect of his formula except himself (apart from Tulio, Linda & their Bird friends of course) & he was sure they wouldn't want to go around talking about it for the same reasons as him. He was going to be on his own with this, & whatever good or ill could come from it would be down to him. No pressure, of course.

So, what positive ends could his formula be used for? That was the question. And if he was going to answer it, Jules was going to need more data about its capabilities, possibilities & limitations. This meant of course, that he would need to experiment. Would Tulio be OK with that? There was only one way to find out.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Jules was startled to hear Tulio's voice behind him.

"Hey Jules, you OK?"

Jules released his beak from his claw & looked round. Tulio was standing there & giving him a concerned look.

"I recognise that gesture Jules." Tulio said. "Got a lot on your mind?"

Jules nodded. "Absolutely. Care to hear it?"

"Of course." Tulio responded. "I said to you earlier to keep me in the loop. So fire away."

"Right." Jules took a deep breath & proceeded to relate to Tulio all the thoughts he had just had running around in his head.

Tulio heard him out without comment. He nodded in thoughtful agreement about Jules' "Trespassing" concerns & frowned when Jules got to the part about continuing his research, but didn't interrupt & let him continue. He nodded again when Jules related his concerns about his project falling into the wrong hands & listened with interest to Jules theories about the potential for it to be applied to other species & what that may involve. When Jules finally got to the part about withdrawing his application & keeping his project under wraps for now, Jules was sure he could see a note of relief in Tulio's expression.

"I agree Jules." Tulio said when he had finished. "It's an amazing discovery, but it's probably for the best that you keep it under wraps for now."

"Yes, but if I'm to work out what kind of potential it has & how to safely harness it, I'm going to have to perform a series of experiments." Jules returned.

"On whom?" Tulio said with concern.

Jules sighed. "Yes, that is the issue, isn't it? They could only be done on a willing & informed participant. And as we just said, I'm not going to be telling anyone else about it just yet." He paused. "I guess…the only person I could do them on…would be myself."

Tulio frowned. "That sounds dangerous Jules. What if you're right about other species having more volatile temperaments? I agree with you about the 'Instinct' thing as far as it extends to us, we definitely seem to have acquired some that helps us fly & influences our tastes. But we don't yet know how far that goes. Perhaps Rafael could help with our understanding on that point, but another thing is that we don't yet know if repeated exposure to your formula could have any…side effects."

Jules looked at his notes again. "Yes, you're right Tulio, that is a potential factor." He said. "According to everything I've been able to work out so far, there shouldn't be any problems like that, but we don't know for sure do we? The very first thing I intend to do once we're back to normal is run a series of tests to verify that there will be no lingering aftereffects from this experience, though I assure you, I'm positive there won't be."

"Well that's good." Tulio said. He looked up at the sound of wings & Linda landed nearby, looking a bit frazzled.

"…Alright…Alright…." She said, sounding out of breath. "I'm it…I'm it. You guys…you guys win."

"Aww." Andre, Paulo & Gia chorused from the surrounding trees. Blu & Jewel followed Linda down to the branch she was sagging on.

"Now guys, that's enough." Blu said sternly. "We've had lots of fun, but your Aunt isn't used to this kind of activity. She needs a little time to rest, right Linda?"

"Yes, _please_ Blu." She said with relief. She took a deep breath & then let it out in a sigh. "Remind me to never tell embarrassing stories about you again."

They all laughed. Andre, Paulo & Gia fluttered down from the trees to join the group.

"You did _really_ well, Auntie Linda" Gia said shyly. The other 2 chorused agreement.

"Thank you." Linda said. "It was a lot of fun, but please guys, just call me Linda. I'm honoured by the "Aunt" title, but we don't want anyone else to get suspicious. Besides, I would prefer you to."

The kids glanced sideways at Jewel, & she nodded. They looked back at Linda, & smiled at her. "You got it, Linda." Andre said.

Blu smiled at them & then turned his attention to Tulio & Jules. "So guys, what's up? You looked like you were deep in thought Jules, & then you 2 were deep in conversation. Anything you'd like to share?"

"Of course Blu." Tulio said. "You guys have a right to know too." He said glancing at Jules, who nodded in agreement.

Jules took a deep breath & then launched into the recall of his thought processes & conclusions for the 2nd time. The Blue Macaws & Linda listened with interest.

Once he had finished, Jewel eyed them appraisingly. "Yes, I suppose the secret workings of our world are known to you 3 now…but you're _not_ going to go around telling all the other humans about what you've discovered?" She said.

"No." Jules replied. "Rafael put his finger…err, feather or claw, whatever, on it earlier. Far too many problems will be wrought by just throwing this out there."

"So, you're just going to keep it to yourself? For how long?" She asked.

He met her gaze squarely. "For as long as it takes. Months, years, maybe even decades. However long until I'm sure it can be used safely & responsibly."

"Until _we're_ sure, I think you mean Jules." Tulio corrected him. "Linda & myself are involved in this whether we like it or not, & I think we can still offer you that guidance we said we'd give you after our little accident in the Lab."

"And I'd be happy to accept it." Jules said. "I do have a tendency to get a bit…carried away when it comes to my work, & I can think of no-one better to help keep me grounded."

Tulio nodded, & then he shifted his weight & stuck one claw out at Jules. "Shall we shake hands, or rather claws, on that then Jules?" he said. "Once we're back to normal, you can resume your normal schedule of your project balanced with your other duties in the centre. Those duties will help to keep you from becoming too obsessed, & Linda & I will also give you guidance & backup on your research & experiments as long as you keep us in the loop about them."

Jules nodded & shook Tulio's claw with his own in a sombre fashion. "You got it, Boss." He said.

"Are we included in this little secret club?" Jewel said, raising her eye ridges at them.

Jules released Tulio's claw & turned to her. "Well, of course. You already know all about it, as do Ana, Rafael & his family & I'd welcome any advice or other input you'd be willing to give. Ana told me that Rafael is kind of the unofficial leader of the Bird's in this jungle & always has their best interests at heart, so we'll fill him in too on all this when we next see him. He'll probably be relieved that we're going to keep this under wraps just like he asked earlier, so it doesn't disrupt your peaceful lives here. Well, any more than I already have, at any rate."

"Oh, I wouldn't call this disruption." Blu said. He smiled at Linda. "More like a lovely surprise visit." She smiled back at him.

"And you would like to know what we know about other species would you?" Said Jewel, turning that appraising look on Jules again.

Jules met her gaze squarely. "Yes, I would. Is that a problem?"

"Hmm." Jewel paused for a moment before replying. "I guess not. Would you mind though if we leave that subject until you have to chance to fill Rafael in on all this then? I'd prefer him to be the one to decide."

As he stood by her side, a swift frown passed over Blu's face, but he said nothing.

"Sounds good to me." Jules said agreeably.

"Me too." Tulio said. "Rafael does seem to have a really good handle on what's best for the Bird's in this jungle. I hope I can have a chat with him later, seeing as he's apparently been co-operating with the Centre's efforts all this time."

Jewel shrugged her wings. "You'll get a chance. That's a subject he'll probably be willing to go into depth about, especially as he'll want to stay informed about…"

She was interrupted by the sound of wings, & the group turned to see who it was. Ana flew in through the Jungle canopy & landed near them on the branches.

"Hey guys. Everything's fine with my home." She said briefly. "How are things here?"

"Welcome back Ana." Blu said. "Everything's fine here too. Jules was just telling us all about how he's going to proceed with his formula. He, Linda & Tulio are going to keep it a secret while he continues to work on it."

"Oh…really? That's interesting." Ana said. "Maybe you could fill me in in more detail Jules? If you wouldn't mind, that is. As I said earlier, this whole thing is _very_ intriguing to me."

"I wouldn't mind at all Ana." Jules replied. "I've gone through it a few times already, but it is indeed fascinating in its implications & scope & I'd welcome another point of view."

"That's great." Blu said cheerfully. "Why don't you 2 get down to that then, as we've still got time before the party kicks off & these guys can spend a bit more time with their…" he paused as Jewel shot him a warning look. "Uhh… I mean, Linda & Tulio." Jewel smiled & nodded at that.

Blu turned to Linda, who was looking a little apprehensive. "Don't worry. No more games for now. How about we just talk? The Kids can tell you all about themselves & what they get up too." Linda smiled in relief & Andre, Paulo & Gia perked up, excited.

Blu gestured over to another part of the tree & all of them except Jules & Ana fluttered over, leaving him to go through his explanation again with her.

* * *

"…And then I said to Marco, 'You think you're the fastest do you?' And he was all like, 'Yeah!' & I was all, 'Nu-huh!' So we challenged each other to a race to prove it, which naturally, I won." Andre said.

"Uh…actually, you looked around to call him a slowpoke & flew headfirst into…" Paulo began, but Andre stopped him quickly by pinching his beak shut with his wing feathers.

His sister however, finished the comment. "A Tree." She said quickly, & giggled.

"Sis!" Andre said reproachfully. He released his brother's beak & glanced at Linda & Tulio, who were listening to their tales with interest. "I'm trying to convey my awesomeness here."

"Then it would help if you actually _were_ awesome." Paulo said seriously. Andre gave him a dirty look, but then pointedly ignored him as he started on another story.

The 3 young Blue Macaws were taking full advantage of being centre stage for a while. They had kept quiet while the Adults were talking, but now they had their honorary Aunt & Uncle's attention they were taking full advantage of it to relate stories about their lives, to which Linda & Tulio listened with fascination, interjecting a question or comment only occasionally to keep the conversation rolling.

Blu & Jewel looked on for a while, but when Andre was engaged in relating a particularly long-winded story about how they learned to fly (with Paulo correcting his occasional factual errors & Gia talking about how pretty the forest looked from the air) Blu took the opportunity to gently draw Jewel aside, for a moment.

"What's…" she began, but Blu quickly shushed her with a feather to his beak. He manoeuvred the 2 of them out of earshot of the others & she then started again in a lower voice. "What's the matter Blu?" she asked.

"That's something I was actually going to ask you." he responded, glancing up at the other part of the tree where Jules & Ana were engaged in conversation, with Jules occasionally pointing out something in his notes. "You seemed a bit…I don't know…_concerned_…about what Jules was telling us about his plans. Care to talk about it?"

"Well…" Jewel hesitated briefly, but when Blu gave her an encouraging gesture, she continued: "You heard what he said. He's going to continue working on this Transformation Potion of his."

"Formula." Blu corrected. "But yes, I suppose that's what it technically is. And you have concerns about that?"

"Some. For starters, does that mean we'll be seeing more of him? And not just him, Linda & Tulio too?" Jewel said. "I had no problem with them just visiting. It's actually kind of nice." She glanced across to where Andre was making an expansive gesture with his wings, trying to convey a point in his story to the attentive Linda & Tulio. "…But I'm not sure whether them slipping into & out of their feathers as often & as easily as other humans put on or take off a hat sits right with me."

Blu looked taken aback. "I…I honestly hadn't thought about that Jewel."

"Well, you should." Jewel said seriously. "Another thing is, from what Jules is saying he could use this concoction of his to become _anything_. Any new arrival in the jungle from now on could be him; we wouldn't be able to recognise him."

"Oh, come now Jewel." Blu protested. "You heard his concerns about being regarded as a spy or a trespasser. Rafael asked them to keep who they really are quiet for a good reason, but I don't think they'd go around the jungle deliberately trying to deceive us or anyone else about who they really are. He's promised to try & find a way to use his formula responsibly."

"I haven't forgotten that." Jewel countered. "But even if we take him at his word, who's to say his definition of a 'responsible' use is one that we'd agree with?"

"Well…maybe not, but Tulio's would be, & Jules says he's going to be guided by him." Blu said firmly.

"Yes…well,…Tulio does _try_ to do the right thing for us…" Jewel said hesitantly, but then renewed her attack. "..but he's still a Bird Conservationist, & he could decide it's on our 'best interests' that we be monitored by someone masquerading as a Bird, just like when they decided it was in my best interests to be snatched…" she stopped suddenly.

Blu looked at her with dawning realisation. "…snatched from the only home you had ever known & locked up in a cage?" he finished.

"Well…yes." She said a little defensively, & looking away from him.

Blu put his head on one side as he gave her a sympathetic look. "Listen Jewel…I know you've never really forgiven the humans for doing that…but it _did_ work out in the end…" He used one of his primary feathers to gently turn her head so she was looking directly into his eyes. "…right?"

Jewel gazed into his eyes for a moment, & then her expression softened. "Yes…yes it did." She said.

Blu nodded & then continued: "And this situation…it is different. We can talk directly to these guys if we have concerns about their actions, but they themselves are actually addressing them for us. You heard them; they're worried about this discovery being used to mess up our lives, & they want to make sure it doesn't. I think we can trust Tulio & Jules not to do something stupid or selfish with this & what's more, he actively wants our input. That's a lot better than…what those others did all that time ago…isn't it?"

Jewel was silent for a moment & then she nodded again. "Yes…yes it is." She looked up at Linda & Tulio, still listening to Andre, Paulo & Gia's tales & then across to Jules, still deep in conversation with Ana. "And I suppose it's a bit late to start being secretive now…but I still want to leave the decision about whether the fully spill the beans about what we know to Rafael. He's the closest thing we have to a leader, after all, & he & Tulio will probably have a lot to talk about when it comes to the well-being of all the birds in the jungle."

"Agreed." Blu said. "We'll head over a little earlier than the Party's start time so they can talk." He inclined his head back towards Linda, Tulio & their kids. "In the meantime, let's make sure Andre isn't telling _too_ many tall tales about himself."

Jewel nodded & the 2 of them made their way back over to the Andre show (with special guests Paulo & Gia).

* * *

"Wow." Ana said. "I can see…you've been giving this a lot of thought."

"I have to." Jules said seriously. "The Implications & Possibilities of this Formula are truly mind-boggling."

"You got that right." She paused. "There was…something I was wondering about actually Jules, that you mentioned earlier."

"Yes?"

"You remember you said that your original Human 'patterns' are 'stored' in your 'Matrix' right?"

"Yes, I did. Fascinating process."

"Uh-huh…well…does that mean that you essentially have 2 forms, & that this formula is just switching you from one to the other?"

"Basically, yes." He paused for a moment, looking up thoughtfully. "How to explain…" he mused. His eye ridges rose as a thought struck him. "Ah, I got it." He met her gaze again. "Think of the Matrix of kind of like a grid, or Honeycomb structure."

She frowned. "Uh…Ok."

"Great. Now, normally a creature only occupies one space or node on this grid, the centre one. That node contains all of the physical data of that creature."

"Got it."

"Good. Now, what my formula was _supposed_ to do was add extra data into that node, thus increasing the capabilities of the human form."

"Yes, I'm with you so far."

"Excellent, but what actually happened is that all the Physical data of a species _Ara Macao_, or Scarlet Macaw, was instead added as an additional node to our Matrices, drawn from the DNA information in your feather. We were then switched from one node to another, but our originally node is still there. When we take this new formula we will simply be switched back to our original node & restored to our original forms, as there is no need to add a human form to our Matrices because we already have one."

"Right, I think I'm following you." she frowned. "So…does that mean that Scarlet Macaw 'node' will still be there?"

Jules looked thoughtful. "That's actually a very good point Ana." He thought for a moment. "Yes…yes. Actually I think it will be. In the same way that we 3 are currently carrying around the information of our Human forms in our Matrices, when we switch back we will still have information that was added for Scarlet Macaws." His eye ridges rose. "You know, that might actually be a good avenue of research to pursue. It might be possible to utilise some kind of…"

But Ana didn't want to drift off on another topic just yet. "Is that dangerous?" she interrupted him suddenly. As he looked at her in surprise she continued. "Well, what I mean is, you said yourself that a creature is only supposed to have one node. Could there be any…problems in you 3 having more than one?"

"Hmm…" Jules said, his brow furrowed in thought. "Tulio did bring up the point that there may be potential issues. As far as I know Ana, there shouldn't be. The 'walls' so to speak, of this Matrix should be stable enough to keep the forms separated, but you're right. This is an unprecedented occurrence. It's something that the Matrix may be able to take in its stride, or on the other hand it may not. I personally incline to the view that the very existence of the Matrix implies that this effect can be managed in a controlled & orderly way, but it's something I have a responsibility to analyse fully before I go too far with it."

"And how will you do that?" Ana asked, though she had a suspicion of the answer.

Sure enough, Jules confirmed her suspicion. "By testing on myself, of course. I couldn't possibly ask anyone else to take the risk, no matter how small I think it is."

Ana was silent for a moment, & then said. "Is there a chance that…the barriers you talk about in this 'Matrix'…could degrade with repeated exposure?"

Jules looked at her. "Yes…That is a valid concern, & it's one of the potential issues I'm going to be watching out for." He gave her a curious look. "What made you think of that Ana?"

"Well…" Ana hesitated briefly, but then decided to go for broke. "It's an old story I was quite fond that that seems to have some parallels to what you're doing. I don't know if you know it…Jekyll & Hyde?"

Jules eye ridges rose in surprise. "Why…yes, I do know it. It's one of my favourite stories actually." He gave her an appraising look. "You know that story, too?"

"Oh yes." She said, but didn't elaborate. "And it didn't have a very happy ending for the poor Doctor."

"No it didn't." He paused. "And you're worried that a similar thing might happen to us." Jules said. "That's what you meant when you were talking about Danger? You're afraid that the 3 of us may lose control of our forms?"

"Well…yes."

Jules looked thoughtfully at her. "Well…Thanks Ana." He said. "It's very considerate of you to be thinking of our well-being like that." He continued after a moment. "I promise you that I'll go as slowly & carefully as possible going forward & be on the lookout for even the first hints of anything like that. As fascinating as all this is, I promise you that I won't ignore potential issues like the good Doctor did."

"That's good." she said, looking relieved.

Jules was still looking at her curiously. "You've been a great help to us Ana." He said. "Ever since I woke up in that cage this morning you've helped me out. I can't thank you enough."

Ana waved a dismissive wing. "It's no big deal Jules. I told you, I owe you for healing up my wing."

"Ok…but it occurs to me that we haven't really talked. That is, about anything other than my formula or getting us 3 back to normal."

She shrugged. "You had other things to think about. First your physical change & then you were focussed on putting things right."

"Yes, but now that everything is in motion to do that, perhaps I can put all this aside for a moment." He suited the action to the words by putting the pencil down on the ground. "I've gone as far as I can with this for now anyway, & there will be plenty of time for it later." He looked at her again. "If you wouldn't mind Ana, I'd love to talk about other things. Like yourself, for instance."

Ana didn't really like where this was going. She enjoyed hanging around with Jules, but having herself as the focus of the conversation wasn't something she was totally comfortable with. "Well…there's not really much to tell about me." She said.

"I'd still like to hear it, as long as you don't mind of course."

"Oh...no, I don't mind. It's just…as I say, not much to tell."

"Well, maybe we can start simple." Jules said. "Do you have any family?"

He had to go there. But she had asked that very same question to Jules at the bookstore, so it was only natural that he would turn it around. "No….no-one at all." She paused. She might as well tell him. "Well…you see, the truth is…"

She was interrupted however. Blu fluttered down next to them.

"Hey guys." He said. "How are things?"

"Oh, fine Blu." Ana said, feeling a mild sense of relief that she'd been let off the hook for now. "Jules & I were just talking about his plans." Jules gave her a slight frown at the way she dodged the other subject, but didn't say anything.

"About that guys." Blu said seriously. He indicated the others all gathered in a group across from them. "We've all decided to head on over the party now so we can chat to Rafael before everyone else starts turning up. You can fill him in & get his input before he gets busy being the host. That OK with you?"

"Certainly Blu." Jules said. "You're right in that we have much to discuss with him, & as I was just saying to Ana, my work can wait for another time. I'm also…really curious to see this gathering for myself."

"Excellent." Blu said warmly. He gave Jules a sideways look. "Maybe you'll even join in a little though Jules?"

Jules hesitated. "Well…we'll see. I'm not really one for parties; especially ones being held by a species I didn't even know knew _how_ to party. No offence." He added quickly.

"None taken." Blu said. "As I told you earlier, you'd be surprised how advanced Bird society is. C'mon then, & you'll see what we can do."

Jules nodded. He gestured his wing back towards his notes: "Can you give me a moment to gather these up? They contain quite a bit of work. I'll drop them off in the hollow myself; Linda & Tulio will be sharing tonight as we pass by it."

"Sure thing." Blu said. "We wouldn't want anyone to stumble across them."

"Indeed not." Jules said seriously. "It was lax enough of me to leave them out in the open when we headed off the first time. Think of the trouble it could have caused if the wrong kind of individuals had seen them." He rapidly proceeded to shuffle the notes together, & rolling them up carefully he gripped them in his beak. He then nodded his readiness to Blu & Ana.

The 3 then spread their wings & fluttered back across to the rest of the group. They took to the air to join them, & then the whole group flew off in the direction of the Meeting Area.


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry, not quite to the party yet. I was working on that chapter when I decided there were still some loose ends to tie up. It is coming though, honest!**

**This chapter also sees the return of one of the movie characters, who (i feel) doesn't get a lot of love in FF. Feel free to point towards any stories I might have missed that prove that wrong though. I also hope that fixing up his 'medical condition' was alright. Please send all Praise/Death Threats for that change to the usual address.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rio, but someone sent me this note consisting of letters cut out of newspapers: IF YoU WANt TO oWN RIO, LeaVE A MillION DOLLaRS UNDer ThE StONE IN yOUR BacK YArD, aLONg WIth A PACk OF gUM. Nice try whoever you are! _Nobody_ gets my gum!**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

"There." Nico said. "All done." He took a step back & exchanged smiles with the others.

Their work was finally finished to prepare for the party, with only a couple of hours to spare.

"Fantastic work, Amigo's" Rafael said appreciatively as he ran his eye over the fruits of their labours. "You've outdone yourselves."

"Thanks Ralfi." Nico said proudly. "I think this party is going to be great, & it's just a shame we never did anything like this earlier."

"Oh well, you know how it is guys." Rafael said. "The Jungle's far safer now with the efforts of those guys at the Conservation Centre & all the Birds in the jungle will quite often sing & dance at the drop of a feather, but an organized party is still something you'd have to go into the city for. Especially if you wanted to hear you guy's perform." He sighed. "I'd missed that, you know Amigo's. Don't get me wrong, I love my family & our life here, but I hadn't realised how much I'd missed that Party atmosphere until we visited that time with Blu & Jewel." He brightened. "That's why I'm glad you agreed to do this. We can all share in that wonderful atmosphere, especially the kids who aren't old enough to go into the city."

"No problem Ralfi." Pedro said confidently. He interlaced his wing feathers & flexed them. "We'll give em a great show."

"It should only be an hour or 2 before they all start arriving." Rafael said. "Victor, Diego, Eva & the kids are rounding them all up now, & they'll all be bringing along some seeds & nuts to add to the fruits we already have, so that'll be plenty of refreshments."

"Luiz should be here soon & he's bringing along some juice mixes from his local Sucos Bar." Pedro commented. "They should be a nice change & a new experience for the youngsters."

"I think so too." Rafael said. He then gave the others a sharp look, however. "About him though guys, you made it clear he's to behave? Some of the parents were hesitant to come when I mentioned he'd be here. I promised he wouldn't frighten the kids, & he'd be staying on the edges of the activities because of his, you know…_salivation_ issues."

"No problem there either, Ralfi." Pedro said. "He's pleased as punch to be invited & he said he'd be on his best behaviour."

"He'd better." Rafael said seriously. "None of that jumping out at folks & barking as he chases them around. It wasn't that funny the first time &…"

Just then however, a figure erupted without warning from the nearby bushes & bowled Rafael over, Nico & Pedro scattering in surprise & a blur of wings. As he was pinned down by the creature & with it looming over him, Rafael threw his wings up in front of his face in an attempt to shield himself from...nothing.

"Yo, Ralfi, no personal shower today!" came a familiar voice. "I told ya it was a medical condition, & Old J finally got me some meds for it!"

Rafael parted his wings & stared up at the fearsome face looming over him.

"Luiz?" he said.

The Bulldog laughed. He backed up to let Rafael up & Nico & Pedro returned to land near them.

"Luiz." Rafael said reproachfully as he rose & dusted himself off. "Great to see you again Amigo, but didn't you hear what I was just saying?"

"Sure did." Luiz said cheerfully. "And I wouldn't dream of scaring any of the little uns, but seeing as it's just you guys here right now, I couldn't resist just one more little pounce, for old time's sake." He winked at them.

The group relaxed from their momentary fright & exchanged knowing looks. "Well…ok, then." Rafael allowed. "Just this once though ok?" Luiz nodded & exchanged a quick paw-to-wing bump with the group. He then stood there grinning & with raised eye-ridges. He was clearly waiting for something.

Rafael looked closer. Luiz was wearing a bundled up pack slung over a harness on his back which obviously contained the promised beverages, but there was one thing different about him that all of them would have to have been blind to miss.

"Hey Luiz…" Nico began hesitantly. "It's great to see you buddy, you look good, &…dry?"

Luiz laughed again. "Vive la Difference eh? You guys didn't believe me when I said it was a medical condition didya? Well, Old J finally got me all fixed up!"

"Well, that's great news Amigo." Rafael said as Luiz grinned at him through jowls & a mouth showing not a trace of excess saliva. "I'm sure the others will be thrilled for you too. Now, I assume those are the juices you got from the Sucos Bar?" He said, pointing his wing at the pack on Luiz's back.

"They sure are Ralfi. I managed to blag a nice selection when they weren't looking." Luiz said with a wink. He sat back on his haunches & began fumbling with the harness he was wearing. "Took me ages to get this thing on." He grumbled. "Stupid Paws. How about lending me a claw?"

"You got it." Pedro said. He, Nico & Rafael moved in & quickly managed to release the harness Luiz was wearing & slid his pack to the ground. They then pulled it up onto one the flat rocks that littered the area, making it into a makeshift table. They proceeded to open the pack up & pull out a number of plastic bottles containing various brightly coloured liquids, placing them on the rock in a line.

"Good going Luiz." Nico said in a pleased tone as he examined the line of bottles. "These will make a wonderful new taste for the youngsters. Fresh water & Juices straight from the fruit are all well & good, but there's a world of experience out there, & these will make a fine sampler, especially the blends."

"Hey, I told ya I'd deliver didn't I?" Luiz said. "And it's the least I can do for you guys inviting me along. I know this is a different occasion from your normal shindigs, with it being for families & all, & I promise I'll make sure nobody's gonna crash this party. This nose o' mine can sniff out any unwanted intruders &…"

"Hey, hold up." Pedro commented as he looked up beyond their shoulders. "Blu, Jewel, Ana & those new guys are headed this way again."

Nico raised his eye ridges. "Hey, bit early, but it's nice to have our first guests…." He trailed off as the Blue & Scarlet Macaws approached.

As they came in to land however, the group caught sight of Luiz. The Blue Macaws were unconcerned & finished their landing smoothly, but as he caught sight of the Bulldog Jules' eyes widened & he tried to stop in Mid-Landing, clearly uncertain whether he should continue. Caught unawares by his hesitation Linda & Tulio were unable to stop their momentum in time & ploughed into the back of him, causing all 3 of them to lose their balance & collapse onto the ground in a heap.

Ana (who had neatly avoided the crash with her higher flying skill) quickly landed next to them & began to help the 3 disentangle themselves from each other. Rafael & the others quickly came over to them. Tulio was muttering something about "Making a habit of this" but then joined the others in staring at Luiz apprehensively as they got to their claws.

Rafael hurried into speech. "Oh, Hola again Amigo's!" He said. "Sorry to have startled you like that." He indicated Luiz with a sweep of his wing. "This is a very old friend of ours, Luiz. He's invited to the festivities too & is helping us out with preparations." The Scarlet Macaws relaxed slightly, but were still giving Luiz odd looks.

Blu & Jewel looked a little surprised at Rafael's statement, but smiled & greeted Luiz.

"Hey, you 2!" He said cheerfully. "Long time, no see huh?" He winked at them. "And Gia! Paulo! Andre! How bout a hug for your Uncle Luiz?" He spread his front paws wide & grinned at the young Macaws, & Andre & Paulo rushed forward to hug him. Gia hung back slightly, but Jewel gave her a gentle nudge forward & with a glance at her reassuring smile, she joined her brothers in hugging the Bulldog.

"So, I don't believe we've met have we guys?" Luiz said as he disengaged the hug & turned his attention to the Scarlet Macaws. "Oh, apart from Ana, obviously. We've seen each other around." Ana briefly bobbed her head in acknowledgement. "Sorry to have surprised you like that. You probably thought I was some kind of vicious Dog who wanted to tear your throats out eh?" He laughed & Rafael & the others smiled. Linda, Tulio & Jules exchanged glances but gave rather uncertain smiles too. "Have no fear on that score, guys. I'd never do any such thing." Luiz continued. "So, you new around these parts then?"

Jules, Tulio & Linda were still staring at him & seemed a little tongue-tied. "You're…a Bulldog?" Jules finally said hesitantly.

Luiz looked a little put out. "Aw Geez, Ralfi, again?" He complained. "Don't you tell any of your new friends about me? A guy could start getting depressed about that y'know?" He turned back to Jules. "You have somethin' against Dogs too?"

"What?...Oh! Oh no, no, of course not." Jules said quickly. "It's just…just…that I've never talked…with…a Dog before."

Rafael came smoothly to his rescue. "They are new around here Amigo. Just arrived in the jungle last night." He said. "They're from human backgrounds like Blu was & have hardly interacted with any other Birds before, let alone Dogs so they're a little overwhelmed. I'm sure you'll get along though…as long as there no more of your _antics_." He finished with a sharp look at Luiz, at which the Bulldog chuckled.

"No fear of that Ralfi." Luiz said. "I just needed to get that out of my system. I'll be good from now on, I Paw-Promise." He mimed crossing his heart with his right paw & then placed it on his right eye. "Now, how about introductions, eh?" He said as he turned back to the Scarlet Macaws, who had been listening to this exchange with a mix of interest, puzzlement & concern. "As Ralfi here said, I'm Luiz. And you are?"

The 3 were still staring, but at this last comment Tulio roused himself & responded: "Oh…Oh! Of course…sorry, how rude of us. I'm Tulio, this is Linda & this here is Jules." he said gesturing with his wing to himself & then the others as he named them.

"Pleased to Meetcha." Luiz said, but paused. "Hey…You 2 are named Linda & Tulio? Ain't those the same names as…"

Rafael stepped in smoothly again. "…Blu's Human friends, yes. We have noted the coincidence to them. Just one of those things that show what a small world we live in, right guys?" he appealed to Nico & Pedro & they nodded sagely. "Perhaps one day they'll even get to meet them, but unfortunately these 3 aren't staying. They'll be heading off tomorrow evening, isn't that right?"

They nodded, & Luiz looked a little down. "Oh, for reals? That's a shame." The others nodded in agreement, but Luiz then said: "Why's that then?"

Finally nailed by the question, Rafael hoped they were ready. They were. "I'm afraid it's a rather painful subject, Luiz." Tulio said. "If we could stay, we would, but there are…Personal Matters that we must deal with elsewhere. Would you mind if we left that subject please?"

Behind Luiz, Nico & Pedro exchanged glances. "Oh…yeah sure guys." Luiz said. "Is it anything at all we can help with?..."

"It's really good of you to offer, but no, thank you. This is a something we have to deal with ourselves." Tulio said firmly.

"Heavy stuff." Luiz said with raised eye ridges. "Yeah, ok guys, I won't pry, but don't forget if you need help…"

"We'll be sure to think of you." Linda put in. "Thank you all so much for welcoming us, perhaps after we've sorted this out we'll be able to visit again."

They brightened. "Yeah! That'd be great right?" Luiz said. "You're sticking around for this shindig this evening aren't' you?" they nodded. "Spitacular! The guys have put _so_ much into it. It's gonna be awesome!" he beamed at them.

"Uh Luiz, speaking of spit." Blu chimed in. "I can't help but notice?..." he gestured around his beak with a wing feather.

Luiz beamed even wider. "Ain't it awesome? My owner Old J the Mechanic finally got tired of finding his tools all sticky." Luiz said. "So, he took me along to the Vet & they said I had Pie…talismans, or somethin'."

"Pytalism?" Tulio provided.

"Yeah, yeah, that's it. Just a fancy medical word for producing too much spit." Luiz went on: "So, they asked him a lot of questions about my food & all that, & finally gave him some probe stuff to add to my food. Works like a charm."

"Probiotics?" Jules supplied.

"Yeah! That's the stuff." Luiz gave Tulio & Jules an interested look. "You guys know somethin' bout medicine?"

Tulio & Jules looked a little bit like they'd been caught out, but Tulio rallied quickly: "Oh, a bit. Just stuff we've picked up here & there you know. I guess spending time around the researchers in the Centre has rubbed off on us, right Jules?" Jules nodded in response & the 2 of them gave the group bright smiles.

"Guess so." Luiz said. He then turned his attention to Ana. "So Ana, you moving on with these guys too?"

Another question right to the point, Rafael mused. There was something to be said for Luiz's straightforward approach to conversations. As they had done with Luiz's question about why the newcomers weren't staying, Nico & Pedro listened with interest for Ana's answer.

Ana answered readily enough: "Oh no, no. I'm not going with them." She paused briefly & then went on: "It's nice to spend some time with like-minded individuals, but I understand that the Personal Matter they need to deal with comes first."

Luiz looked a little down again. "Oh…that's a real shame Ana." He gestured vaguely. "Especially with your…y'know…history."

Jules, Tulio & Linda looked at Ana in surprise. "There's no need to go into that Luiz." She said. "At least, not here, not now." She added, looking up at Jules. His eye ridges rose, but he nodded.

"Okie-Dokie." Luiz said affably, his good humour restored after its momentary dip. "So guys, even though you're not staying, how do you like the neighbourhood?" Luiz asked, waving his paw in an expansive gesture. "It's not too shabby, eh?"

"Oh, it's lovely Luiz." Linda said. "I may not have come here until recently, but it's a beautiful place filled with wonderful individuals." Her face lit up. "And the view! Seeing it from the air was one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen…" She sighed, & Blu looked pleased, exchanging a smile with Jewel.

"Yeah…" Luiz sighed too. "The closest I've got to that is that one time I managed to blag a Hang-glider & accompany Blu's Human friends for a while. That thing was a nightmare to control though. I was facing the wrong way most of the time, & barely managed to land it." He sighed again. "You guys are so lucky to have wings. There's times…y'know…crazy times…when I fantasise about being able to fly like a Bird." He roused himself. "But that's just silly daydreams right? I'm a Dog & you're Birds & that's just the way it is. It's not going to change with a Magic Potion or anything."

The Blue & Scarlet Macaws exchanged glances, but kept their beaks shut. Gia, Paulo & Andre looked up at Jewel with hopeful expressions, but meeting their gazes she looked sympathetic but gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head.

Rafael took charge of the conversation to steer it away from dangerous waters. "So guys, you're a little early." He said briskly. "The festivities won't be kicking off for another few hours. Is there something we can do for you?"

"Oh, well…yes actually." Tulio said. "There were just one or 2 things that came up that we wanted to run by you. Would it be OK for us to have a private word with you for a moment?"

"Oh…Sure thing Amigo's" Rafael said. Behind him, Nico & Pedro exchanged a Look. He turned round to them & said: "Uh...Guys, you mind if I…"

"No problem at all Ralfi." Said Nico, smiling at them. "Maybe you could tell us about it some other time."

Rafael looked at them. They'd known each other for a long time, & he could detect just the faintest trace of brittleness behind Nico & Pedro's smiles. "Guys…I promise I'll tell you all about it some time." He said. "And when we…I…do, you'll understand why we're being a little…secretive…about it. That I can also promise you."

The Scarlet & Blue Macaws behind him exchanged looks at this & Luiz's glanced between Rafael & Nico & Pedro with a puzzled look on his face. The 3 birds gazed levelly at each other for a moment.

"OK Ralfi." Pedro said. "We trust you."

The Birds smiled as the tension in the air lessened. "Thanks guys." Rafael said. He then turned back to the Scarlet & Blue Macaws. "C'mon Amigo's." He said. "Let's get those issues sorted."

The group nodded, & as Rafael spread his wings & took off, they all followed him into the air. Pedro, Nico & Luiz waved them farewell, & as the group disappeared from sight, Luiz turned to Nico & Pedro.

"What was that all about Guys?" he said.

The 2 looked at each other & Nico said. "Long story buddy." He said. He gestured with his wing back to Luiz's open pack. "C'mon. Let's get these all set up & Pedro & I will tell you what little we know about our mysterious guests."

* * *

"Wow." Rafael said. "This is…heavy stuff guys." He shook his head & sighed. "And I thought the trickiest thing I'd be dealing with today would be this party we've got later..."

After the group had settled in a convenient tree a short distance away from the Meeting Area, Tulio & Jules had related to Rafael all their activities since leaving for the Bookstore & the issues they had been considering. Having heard all this before & finding it a little repetitive, Andre, Paulo & Gia had asked Jewel's permission to go play some games on one of the lower branches, & Blu & Jewel kept half an eye on them while the others were talking. Rafael listened carefully & was a little overwhelmed by the flood of information, but he rapidly zeroed in on what he considered the most pertinent parts.

"So…you're _not_ going to spread the knowledge of this creation of yours…but you are going to keep working on it?" He asked, & Jules nodded.

"That's right." Jules said. "It's too big to reveal, but also too big to bury, especially as others could stumble across it too. We're going to keep it under wraps for the immediate & perhaps even long-term future."

"Well, I…guess that's good…right?" Rafael said, a little uncertainly. But then he brightened. "Yeah! Just like I said to you guys earlier, you don't want to go rocking the boat, at least until you've put in some… stabilisers, right?"

"A very good way of putting it Rafael." Tulio said. He paused for a moment. "There's also the fact that a lot of people quite frankly won't be ready for the revelation that Birds...& other animals like…oh, I don't know…Bulldogs perhaps? Have a full grasp of language & communication that they've just been…hiding up until now."

Rafael looked at him, & then across to the others. He sighed again. "…Yeah. I guess…that little secret's out, right guys?"

"It's OK Rafael." Tulio said reassuringly. "I think we understand your reasons & in your place…I probably would have done the same thing. A lot of Humans would react well to such a revelation, such as Animal Rights activists, but a lot would also find it unbelievable, distasteful or start thinking in terms in how they would profit from it." He sighed. "I have no illusions about my own species. We are capable of great good & also great harm. Sometimes both at once."

Rafael looked relieved. "Yeah Amigo, exactly." He said. "We don't let on about our smarts for our own protection. That's been well & truly busted for you 3 now, but please keep it quiet, OK?"

"You need have no worries about that Rafael." Tulio said seriously. "Like I said earlier, we'd never do anything to harm the Bird population, & that includes letting out your secret."

Rafael smiled at them, & then Jewel spoke up. "Speaking of harm, where do you think this concoction of Jules' falls on the good/harm scale?"

"Well, It's like any other tool or invention Jewel." Jules said. "It's all in how it's used. Humans can't naturally fly, so we invented Aviation. We can't breathe or move easily underwater, so we invented Submarines & Scuba Gear. Even something as simple as a shovel was an attempt to catch up with the superior digging abilities of the Mole & the Badger. These were all attempts by humanity to enhance their own abilities, but this formula allows us to do it much more directly…" He paused briefly, his excited expression becoming more serious. "…Although it also raises ethical considerations at the same time."

"How do you mean?" Blu asked.

"The Formula itself could be considered a tool, enabling Humans to fly or breathe underwater or survive in all manner of hostile environments." Jules said. "But putting that aside for a moment, there's the aspect of interactions with natural residents of the Animal Kingdom such as yourselves." His gaze took in them all in. "You've been wonderfully welcoming to all of us, even after learning who we are & I thank you for that. But, treating your form as a tool that we have a right to do with as we please seems like an insult. I don't want to insult you."

The eye ridges of all present rose at that. Rafael gave Jules a thoughtful look. "Thanks for that, Amigo." He said. He then put his head one side as he continued to eye Jules thoughtfully. "So…am I to understand that…as long as you find it's safe of course…you intend to become like this again?"

Jules met his gaze levelly. "As long as my _lengthy_ & _extensive_ tests find that it's safe…yes."

They continued to gaze at each other for a moment, before the moment was interrupted from an unexpected quarter.

"So our opinion on that really doesn't matter then?" Jewel said sharply. "You've already decided to go ahead with it."

Tulio, Linda & Jules looked a little taken aback, & both Rafael & Blu gave Jewel a Look.

"Jewel." Blu said reproachfully. "There's no need for that."

"Please Jewel, don't be like that." Jules pleaded. "Think for a moment. Even if we were to decide to bury this because of the problems it could cause & the…friction it does seem to be causing with you having to keep secrets from your friends…" He glanced at Rafael as he said this & Rafael gave a brief pained nod. "…it would be just delaying the inevitable. If I found it, someone else can too & they may not be so considerate towards your feelings on the matter. This is your world, & though we found an entrance without your permission, I would like for you to have a say in how that entrance is used & be fully informed as to the comings & goings. Just blocking it up won't solve anything or move anything forward."

Blu, Jewel, Rafael & Ana stared at him, & then at each other. Tulio then chimed in.

"Look, we've always tried to do what we think is in your best interests." Tulio said. "Even in the face of…spirited objection." He added, glancing at Jewel. She frowned & exchanged a glance with Blu, who gave her a wry smile. "But if nothing else, this experience has shown us…me, that you do understand far more than we…I thought. And now that we know, we can't in good conscience ignore your views. You deserve a say in how we handle this…but it must _be_ handled, not just put off or to one side. Right, Jules?"

"Exactly, Tulio." Jules said. "Please guys, help us to work out how to use this process in a responsible & considerate way. We may be even be able to build rules & safeguards into it while it's still under our control, though that's an issue for later obviously, after we've fully checked out its safety. Tulio & Ana pointed out that I need to make sure there are no side-effects from our exposure, so it'll be weeks at the very least before I even consider using it again, & when & if I do I'll want you to be fully informed. We have no intention of treating these forms or your World in a Cavalier fashion. Don't think we'll be trying to sneak in & out & assuming or discarding them as casually as a Human would a hat or something."

Jewel's eye ridges went up at that, & she exchanged a glance with Blu.

Rafael nodded his head slowly a few times, & then spoke: "There is…something in what you say, Amigo." His gaze swept across Blu, Jewel & Ana, meeting their gazes in turn. "What do you guys think?" He asked.

Blu, Jewel & Ana looked at each other & then back at him. Blu spoke first.

"I'm with Tulio & Jules." He said. "It's an amazing scientific discovery that could change the world…but precisely _because_ it could do that, it needs to be handled with the utmost care."

Rafael nodded briefly, & then transferred his gaze to Jewel. "Jewel?"

She hesitated. "Well…" she began but stopped, looking rather uncomfortable.

"Go on Jewel." Jules said. "Please, speak your mind. I don't want you to hold back."

Jewel was silent for a moment longer, and then she took a deep breath, looked up & met the gazes on her. "Please guys, don't take this the wrong way. I don't mean any offence to you personally…It's just…well, It didn't…seem."

Tulio stepped smoothly into her hesitant speech. "You don't think we belong here."

The rest of the group looked at him. Jewel looked mildly surprised. "How did you know that?"

Tulio gave a wry smile. "It was pretty obvious, Jewel. As soon as Jules mentioned he was going to keep working on his Project, you didn't look happy."

"Yes, well…it just didn't seem right for you to be able to waltz in & out whenever you pleased…but you not going to do that?"

"No Waltzing." Jules said seriously. "No dance steps of any kind without your OK."

The corner of Jewel's beak twitched at that. "Then, it's all right with me. As long as it's safe for you, you're welcome to visit. Just call ahead first so I can put out the nice tablecloths."

The group chuckled at Jules' & Jewel's attempts to lighten the atmosphere. Rafael turned to the final adult Bird in on the secret. "Ana?" he asked.

"I think it's good that we try to find a way to use Jules' invention for good." She said promptly. "After all, allowing free communication between our species was the original point, wasn't it?" Jules nodded in agreement. "But…there is one thing I don't think you've considered."

"What's that?" Jules asked her.

"When you're back to your human selves…will you lose the ability to understand us?" She asked.

Jules eye ridges rose again. "Another very good point Ana." He paused, considering. "I did actually fail in my original aim of allowing Humans to understand Birds, didn't I? What actually happened is that our own comprehension of language has been changed to yours, along with our physical forms. If we were to try talking to a Human like we are now, they wouldn't be able to understand us. When we revert…it's most likely our comprehension of language will too."

"That's not such a big deal, is it Amigo?" Rafael said amicably. "We've got time tomorrow before you leave for the Centre to sort things out, & it's not like they'll be much point in us pretending we don't understand you once you're back to your old selves. We can just nod or shake our heads, & if more complex communication is called for, there's always Blu's ability to write. He's been on a drive to spread that skill amongst as many of us Birds as possible, especially the youngsters."

Linda smiled at Blu at that, & Blu did his best to look modest.

A thought seemed to strike Rafael. "Say Ana, you seem to have a real rapport with these guys…maybe you'd like to take on the job?"

Ana looked a little taken aback. "I…What job?" she asked.

"As a…well, something like a Liaison, or Ambassador. You could be the point of contact between our worlds."

A couple of differing expressions flickered quickly across Ana's face. "I…Well, I…"

"That's not a bad idea Rafael." Tulio said thoughtfully. "Ana already knows how to read…can you write too?" He asked. Ana gave a quick nod, though she still looked rather stunned. "Excellent. That would make things far easier…though the decision is up to her, obviously."

Ana looked conflicted. "This…is rather sudden…" She said hesitantly.

Rafael looked sympathetic. "Of course. It's rather a big responsibility to spring on you out of the blue like that. You don't have to, of course. Just…give it a bit a thought & decide later." He looked back at the others. "This whole thing is Heavy, Heavy stuff that we can't really sort out in a single Afternoon. Tell you what guys; let's leave the details as a future project for now. We can work it all out in time, especially as Jules said he'll be busy with the Science part for the immediate future."

The others nodded in Agreement. Rafael then sighed again. "It'll also give me time to try & work out the best way of breaking the news about all this to my friends. It pains me, but I can't tell them about it just yet. They have Hearts of Gold, all of them, but they can't keep a secret to save their lives." He looked up at Blu. "Remember your 'Surprise' Birthday party we tried to do a while back?"

Blu gave a snort of laughter. "How could I forget? At first I thought they'd gone crazy, but as it got closer it was painfully obvious what they were hiding. They might as well have been going round wearing Placards that read: 'We Are Keeping Blu's Party a Secret From Him. Shhh.'"

"Exactly." Rafael shook his head. "And if they couldn't hide their feelings with something as simple as a party, they'd probably implode with something as big as this."

Blu & Jewel gave a solemn nod. Rafael then went on. "Speaking of which guys, we should be getting back. The families will be arriving for the party soon." He gave Jules, Linda & Tulio a direct look. "Now, remember guys, you'll probably be a big deal being new arrivals. Lots of questions, lots of interest. Just remember our little cover story, OK?"

They nodded seriously, but Rafael then smiled. "But don't get all wound up about it. This is a party, after all. I definitely need to unwind a little after all this Heaviness, even while I'll also be busy keeping my kids in line. Just…enjoy yourselves OK?"

"You got it Rafael." Linda said. "Thank you again for letting us come along. We promise not to cause any kind of disruption, & cause you any further problems with your friends."

"Aw, I'm sure it'll be OK Linda." Blu said. "I'm sure the guys aren't worried." He said confidently.

* * *

"So you're worried, right Guys?" Luiz asked.

Nico & Pedro put their heads on one side as they looked at each other.

"Naw, that's a little strong buddy." Pedro demurred. "It's just that…Ralfi seems to be in on whatever deal these guys have going on, but he's not willing to spill the beans to us. Whatever could be big enough to make him do that?"

"Yeah." Nico agreed. "It's not like we're bad at keeping secrets or anything. Blu had no idea about his surprise party did he?"

Pedro shook his head. "No idea at all." He declared. "Ralfi knows we can be trusted to keep our beaks zipped on important stuff, so why's he being so secretive?"

"No Clue guys." Luiz shook his head. "And it's a bit of downer with him keeping stuff from us. Still, he's promised to fill us in later. And we know he'll keep to that, don't we?"

"Yeah." Nico & Pedro nodded firmly. There was no question that Rafael would honour his promise to tell them all about it, the only question was when.

"It's just like Diego was saying earlier." Nico said. "We should trust Ralfi's judgement on what these guys' deal is & why they don't want to stay." He paused, & a sly smile turned up the corners of his beak. "…That's not to say that we might not be able to get them to reconsider though. If we can show them what a great time all of us have here with this Party & all, maybe they'll reconsider moving on."

Luiz perked up. "Yeah! That's a great idea guys. Between this Jungle & the City, what more could a Bird ask for?" He paused for a moment, with a frown on his brow. "Speaking of moving on though, why do ya suppose Ana's not staying with them? Ya think she'd jump at the chance to join up with a group of her own kind."

Pedro & Nico looked at each other. "Yeah, that is weird." Pedro said. "She's never been that impressed by Juan's company, but she does keep following this guy Jules around. Ralfi says they're not a couple like the other 2 apparently are, but I can't see how he could know."

"I think there's something there, on Ana's side at least." Nico mused. He continued as they gave them curious looks: "It's just a feeling I have, but I think that Ana likes Jules, but he isn't aware of it because she's not letting on about it."

Luiz frowned. "'Not letting on about it'? What'ya mean?"

"C'mon guys, you know her history." Nico said. "It's left her with some hang-ups about acknowledging her own feelings. I think she likes this guy but don't want to show it. And him? Well, I don't get the same Vibe from him at all. It really does appear he considers them to be just friends. I got more of a 'Nerd' Vibe from him & that Tulio guy, with that medical knowledge they seem to have. Probably they've picked all that up from the Humans they've been around, a bit like how Blu acted when he first came here."

Luiz & Pedro looked at each other, & then back at Nico. "Do ya think we can't help em out in that respect then guys?" Luiz asked. "You did a great job helping Blu & Jewel realize their feelings after all."

"Yeah, I think so." Nico said. "Just like this party will hopefully thaw them on leaving, when the kids go home to bed we're gonna do our best to help them realize how perfect they are for each other. And you _know_ what the best way to do that is…"

They exchanged sly looks with each other, but then Pedro frowned. "Hey, hold up guys. That sounds great, but what about Ralfi's resistance to the idea? Remember how he shut us down when we suggested convincing them to stay?"

Nico looked slightly worried & Luiz looked surprised. "He did?" The Bulldog said. "That don't sound like him."

"Yeah, it was…really out of character for him." Nico said. "I just…can't see what would make him react that way." He paused frowning, & then shrugged. "But, we know he's wrong about Ana & Jules at least. He said they were just friends, when it's clear to me at least they could be more if we can just get them to see it. I think we owe it to Ana to try & bring them together after the total bust that Juan appears to have been for her."

"Yeah, now you're talking buddy." Pedro said happily. "And if we succeed, either she'll stay with him or he'll stay with her. That's what I call a Win-win situation."

Nico & Pedro smiled & bumped wings with each other, but Luiz still looked a little unsure. "It's not like Ralfi to miss somthin' like that guys…." His face then lightened however. "But you're right. Whatever their deal is, I can't see why it'd stop them from being happy with each other."

"Yeah!" Pedro exclaimed. "All we need to is set the mood & things will fall into place. With Music & Song &…"

"Hey, here comes Eva, the guys & our first guests." Luiz said suddenly.

They looked up & sure enough the Toucan's along with the Spoonbill & the Hahn's Macaw came winging through the Jungle canopy, closely followed by a variety of other Birds. As they all came in to land, the 3 shifted into High Gear. Along with Eva, Diego & Victor, they began greeting, talking, offering drinks & generally being considerate hosts to their guests. Most of the Bird's seemed relieved that Luiz's 'Medical Condition' was now under control, & they fielded the inevitable 'Where's Rafael?' questions with reassurances that he'd be along soon, & teased the fact that he'd be bringing some surprise guests.

The party was underway.

* * *

He listened carefully to the Scout's report.

"Better & better." He said, pleased. "So much potential ripe for the taking." He transferred his gaze to the group watching him expectantly & raised his voice to address them. "This is truly a great day for all of us. We will seize this opportunity to finally elevate ourselves to our rightful standing. We will relieve this Jules of the responsibility of control of his wondrous creation, as he is clearly unequipped to realize its true potential for advancement, unlike us."

The group was excited. He turned his attention to the second scout he had sent out earlier. "Did you get it?" The threat in his voice was clear if the Scout had failed him.

Fortunately for the Scout, he had not. "Yes Sir." He said. The Scout presented him with a small cloth. He took it & unwrapped it to reveal its contents.

"Excellent." He said, eyeing them. "The wrong colour obviously, but we can fix that with one of our other acquisitions…" he selected one of the objects, held it up to the light & examined it critically. "…yes, this is perfect. Once this is treated & exchanged, according to his own words, he won't know anything is wrong until it's too late." He transferred his gaze back to the Scout. "And the other thing?" The Scout presented him with a small case. He took it & opened it, examining its contents too.

"_Very_ well done, we shall let them be our test subjects, & should they succeed, this will enable us to take control of the situation." He said. He fixed the Scout with his gaze. "Your efforts will not go unrewarded in our glorious new era."

The Scout looked pleased. But he raised his voice to address the group again: "But there is still work to be done. Listen closely, for here is what we shall do."

He proceeded to outline his plan to his attentive audience.


	11. Chapter 11

**Whew, this chapter was hard to write. Trying to adapt & fit the songs into the Story was a right pain, but as it is such an important element of film I felt it was vital for the songs to be there. The text in Italics is sung & the test in captions is when the backing singers echo the lyrics. I feel this suffices to convey the gist of the songs, but I highly recommend you listen to the real deals to get the full flavour. Music-savvy readers may also recognise the album (apart from the Rio Soundtrack) that most of the songs are pinch.. err, borrowed from. It's 'La Vida Mickey' & I can certainly imagine the Rio gang singing something like it. Can you?**

**Also, I hope I got the Portuguese right. Full Disclosure, I don't speak a word but it's yet another element from the movie I feel has a place in my story, so Google was my source there.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rio or the songs that are covered in this chapter. I'm pretty sure Nico & Pedro don't own them either, but that's something you'll have to ask them next time you bump into them.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Linda looked on with great interest at the scene spread out before her.

Milling around in the Meeting Area were Birds of all sizes & colourations. Macaws, Parakeets, Toucans, Finch's, Sparrows & more Linda wasn't sure that she could identify. After they had returned with Rafael from their latest secret conference, they had encountered this mass gathering & Linda at least had felt slightly overwhelmed. As Rafael had predicted, there was great interest from the group in the newcomers. He had taken care of the introductions, & variations on the same conversation had occurred multiple times: "Yes, we've only just come here from the Centre…Oh, really? Our names are the same as those guys who work there? Ha, Ha! Yeah, small world, isn't it?...Oh, no, we're not staying long...Why? Oh, I'm afraid that's a painful subject…Can you help? Why that's very good of you to offer, but we need to deal with this ourselves…Are we coming back? Well, we'd certainly like too, so we'll do our best…" And so on.

Linda took a careful drink from the thimble of diluted fruit juice mix she was holding in her claw, using the method of her remaining leg & wings for balance. Drinking with a Beak from a thimble using what she still tended to think of as her foot was something she found a little tricky, but Diego had insisted she take it. Linda could see the Spoonbill bustling around the throng, making sure that everyone had a beverage of some sort, & making sure the bowls of juice that had been set up on some flat rocks to one side were remaining filled as the young Birds clustered around them, ducking down into them to quench their thirst while talking nineteen to the dozen.

The air was filled with the chatter of the assembled group. Linda was amazed at the odd aural impression it created. Just another in the long list of amazing things she'd experienced today since waking up in a different body. On one hand she knew the sounds were chirps, squawks & caws (or in Luiz's case, barks, snuffles & whines) just like you would expect to hear from a group of Birds (& a Dog) gathered together, but on the other she understood the sounds as perfectly normal chatter such as you would expect to hear at the start of a party. It was like the Audio equivalent of looking at a picture that showed the silhouette of a vase & suddenly seeing the outline of 2 faces, or vice versa. It would be a pity to give this new ability to understand animals up she mused, but it had to be done for Fernando's sake if nothing else. Tomorrow, she would have to try & make sure that she & Blu finished the conversation they had started earlier. There was no telling when or if she would have the chance to talk to him like this again.

The middle of the clearing was occupied mainly with the young Birds who the party was directed towards with just the occasional adult amongst them making sure they behaved themselves, & the majority of the adults had gravitated to the edges & the lower branches of the trees to carry on their own conversations while the parents kept one eye on their offspring. After the flood of introductions & at Rafael's suggestion, the Scarlet & Blu Macaws had split up to mingle with the other Adults. It would have looked a little suspicious for them to stay stuck together like they had been most of the day, & Linda had also encouraged Blu & Jewel to socialise as they normally would. There was no need for her Big Brave Boy to Chaperone her, she had said humorously.

Her eye rested thoughtfully on Blu & Jewel, who were chatting to a Parakeet Couple. She never would have imagined that she would one day able to enter their world & interact with them like this. During Jewel's convalescence from her broken wing, she had come to an understanding with Blu that he & Jewel would be released to live together in the Protected Area. He had made it clear to her in his notes however, that he would come to visit occasionally, which Linda had been thrilled by. It would have been out of the question for her to come into the jungle to visit him however. The presence of a Human would only be out of place & disruptive, but (as long as she didn't spill the beans about who she really was) she was neither of those things in her current form. She blended in & was accepted as just another Bird, & despite the occasional twinge of conscience she experienced over that lie of omission, she knew Rafael was right & it was necessary (at least for now) to avert that same disruptiveness. It was also wonderful to finally be able to talk to Blu & Jewel & gratifying that their kids considered her an honorary relative.

"Of course, this place is much nicer than some other parts of the jungle." A voice broke into her thoughts.

Linda glanced at the Bird standing next to her. It was a Female Red & Green (or 'Greenwing') Macaw called Ingrid. She had apparently taken it upon herself to chat away to Linda on whole bunch of subjects, primarily how nice this area was to live in. The general air of puzzlement from the group when they announced they didn't intend to stay was almost palpable & Linda suspected that they were going to get a lot of attempts to sell them on how nice this area was for a Bird to live in to try to get them to change their minds about leaving. As Ingrid chatted away however, she didn't seem in the slightest put off by Linda's noncommittal & brief responses.

"Those nice humans at the Conservation Centre have made this place _so_ much safer than it used to be, clearing out the Predators, putting up fences & so on." Ingrid continued. "That's why we decided to move here wasn't it darling?"

This last was addressed to a Male Greenwing Macaw called Ricky who was standing by her side. He was nursing his own thimble & had a very placid expression on his face. "Yes dear." He said.

Ingrid chattered on: "It's such a lovely place to raise the chicks & Ricky & I were just _thrilled_ when Rafael & his friends came up with this party idea, weren't we darling?"

"Yes dear." Ricky said again, in that same placid voice.

"Such a pity you're not staying yourself dear, but there's plenty of time isn't there? You're young & you want to enjoy yourselves before settling down, I understand. Ricky & I were the same, weren't we darling?"

"Yes dear."

"And taking care of our little angels is hard work, I admit. But we couldn't be happier that our lives have been blessed by them. Isn't that right darling?"

"Yes dear." Linda began to wonder if he ever said anything else.

"I hope you come to experience that someday too, dear. Now, don't forget, if there's any advice you need I'd be happy to help. Anything about Nest Building, Chick Raising…"

"Uh, thank you." Linda interrupted her quickly. "Should we ever need any advice on that score we'll be sure to come to you."

Ingrid looked slightly taken aback. She probably wasn't used to getting a response from her chatter other than 'yes dear'.

"Yes…yes, of course." She said. She rallied quickly though. "And you'd be right to do so. I'm just a _fountain_ of good advice on all subjects. Such a pity all my neighbours always seem too busy to stop & listen to it. Whenever I come across them, they always seem in such a hurry to go somewhere, don't they darling?"

"Yes dear."

She continued to chatter on. Linda went back to only half-listening to her. She wondered how the others were getting along.

* * *

Tulio was talking to the Parrot, Carlos. As one of the most recent releases from the Centre he had much to say on how he had been treated there. Tulio was quietly gratified to discover that although he didn't think too highly of some of the researchers attitudes towards their charges; (Tulio made a mental note to look into that later) he had no other complaints about his treatment.

"So, do you have an opinion on those guys then Tulio? Did the guy with your name treat you himself?" Carlos asked him casually.

"Oh, no, we weren't there long." Tulio said carefully. "We didn't get to interact with hardly anyone at all, besides Jules & Ana."

"Yeah." Carlos said. "I don't know if you know, but that's the second Jules that Ana has met. Just like you & Linda, there's a Human with that name in the Centre & he's the one who treated her wing. It seems he's a bit weird though."

Tulio's eye ridges rose at that & he said: "Really..." He paused but couldn't resist asking: "In what way?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong, he's apparently not too bad at fixing Birds up, he did a great job with Ana for example, but he has some _crazy_ ideas."

"Uh-huh…what kind of ideas?"

"Get this; he believes he can find a way to get Humans to understand our language!" Carlos chuckled. "Isn't that the craziest thing you've ever heard?"

Tulio kept his face neutral. "Yeah…yeah, that sure sounds…out there." He said. "Where'd he ever get such an idea?"

"No clue." Carlos said cheerfully. "I could never imagine myself having a full conversation with a Human. Could you?"

"Oh, I don't know." Tulio said. "I hear that the guy with my name at least tries."

Carlos chuckled. "Yeah. He squawks & flaps around. Some guys laugh at him behind his back, but most of us know he means well, & a lot of us have real affection for him. After all, without him, a lot of us wouldn't be here. We'd either be dead from some injury or disease or locked up in a cage somewhere as someone's living ornament." He took a drink from his thimble, but then suddenly checked himself & looked at Tulio in concern. He rapidly swallowed his drink & said in a concerned tone. "Oh, I err…didn't mean anything by that, buddy. I hope I didn't bring up anything painful..."

Tulio was momentarily puzzled, but then realized Carlos' meaning. The cover story they'd come up with about their backstory being an "unhappy subject they'd prefer not to dwell on" could have been quite easily taken to mean that they'd be mistreated as pets or zoo exhibits or had been rescued from smugglers by the Centre. This was a sadly common backstory for a lot of the Birds that he himself had rescued, treated & released.

"Oh no, it's alright Carlos." He reassured the Parrot. "We've been very fortunate not to have gone through anything like that." Tulio paused briefly. "Though I hear that that kind of thing is exactly what the Centre was set up to set right. Is that right?"

"Oh, yeah." Carlos said with a note of relief in his voice. No doubt he was relieved he hadn't soured the mood by dredging up painful memories. "The human with your name does a good job of that. Perhaps you'll get to meet him someday, if you go back there."

"Perhaps." Tulio said.

"And this really is a great place to live you know." Carlos began. "Listen buddy, I don't know your reasons for not wanting to stay, but…"

"Carlos, please." Tulio interrupted him. "If we could stay, we would. This place is wonderful, but this matter we have to deal with must come first." Tulio paused, looking at Carlos' dejected expression, & decided to throw him a bone. "…that's not to say we're never coming back, mind you." Carlos perked up at this & Tulio went on: "Once we've dealt with this matter, we do hope to come back & visit sometime."

"Oh, that's great news buddy." Carlos said happily. "I hope you do. I tell you, this place really grows on you. And if you let it, it can change you in ways you never imagined."

"Oh, I don't doubt that." Tulio said.

* * *

Jules & Ana had gravitated to the edges of the activities. They had also had Thimbles of Juice pressed on them by Diego, but after taking a few drinks had set them down to one side as they gazed upon the group. Jules looked fascinated at all the different Birds gathered together, conversing & (in the case of the younger ones) playing with each other. But Ana seemed lost in her own thoughts & had a slight frown upon her face. Jules glanced at her & noticed her expression.

"Hey Ana, you all right?" He enquired with a note of concern.

Ana started slightly at the sound of his voice, but then settled down & gave him a smile. "Oh, certainly." She said. "I was just…thinking about things."

"Things like Rafael's suggestion?" Jules asked.

"Yes." She replied. "But not just that. I was thinking about…all this…as well." she half-waved her wing at all the activity in front of them.

"Yes, it is fascinating isn't it?" Jules said happily. "I've never seen anything quite like it. Do you have these kinds of get-togethers often?"

"Not here in the Jungle, no, but at the Club Nico & Pedro run in the city however, all the time." She hesitated, but then went on: "Or at least, so I understand. I've never been myself."

Jules looked at her curiously. "Oh? Why's that?" he asked.

"Just…not really my kind of thing." Ana said vaguely.

Jules looked back at the throng. "No, nor me either. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to at least observe though. There's no telling when I might have the chance again."

"No, I guess not."

There was movement in the crowd of Birds in front of them, & it parted to reveal 2 Adult Hyacinth Macaws accompanied by 2 younger ones making a beeline for them. It was Carol & her family.

"Ana dear!" she exclaimed as they approached. "We're so pleased you made it, & oh! This must be the new friend you were telling me about earlier. So nice to meet you." She said warmly.

Jules returned the greeting politely. Introductions were made & the 2 youngsters, Kelly & Wesley, were overjoyed to see their 'Big Sister' again, & as they & Carol made a fuss of & chattered away to her, Jules found that they (guided by Carol) drifted a short distance away, just enough to be out of earshot, while the Male Hyacinth Macaw, Felipe, was engaging him in conversation in a rather Avuncular Manner.

"So, you're Jules right?" Felipe began. As Jules nodded in response, Felipe continued: "Great to meet a fine young Macaw like you. Ana certainly seems impressed by you, based on what Carol told me about what she said earlier."

"What she said about me?" Jules glanced at the back of Ana's head as the others chattered away to her. Like Tulio, he wasn't immune to curiosity. "Um…what was that then?"

"Oh, not much." Felipe said. "Just that you're very nice & quite smart." He paused as Jules let this sink in for moment, but then he went on. "She also mentioned that you're not staying."

"Oh no, I'm afraid not. You see…"

But Felipe didn't let him finish his prepared statement. "Yes, yes, that's all right." He interrupted him, but still in that friendly manner. "I'm sure you have your reasons, but I was just wondering whether Ana is going with you?"

Jules glanced at the back of Ana's head again. "No, she isn't. Where we're going she…uh, wouldn't really fit in. Besides, this is her Home, right?"

"Yes…." Felipe paused as he looked at Jules thoughtfully. "Tell me Jules, how long have you known Ana?"

"Oh…not really that long at all." Jules answered. "We met in the Centre, but we haven't been able to talk to each other until this morning, just before we were released." He said truthfully.

"Uh-huh…" Felipe said. "Has she told you much about herself?"

Jules frowned. "No…too many other things to deal with today. We haven't really had a chance for that." His brow lightened. "But, I think she was about to earlier. I realised I'd been a bit too self-centred up until that point, so I started to ask her about her family. She told me she didn't have any, but we were interrupted before she went any further."

Felipe looked impressed. "You've been honoured then, my young friend. Ana doesn't usually open up about herself to anyone." He paused briefly. "I think I'll leave it to her then, if she wants to tell you, but I will tell you this: We've known Ana for a long time, & we've always tried to look out for her." He glanced at Ana. "We always hoped that she could find someone nice who was right for her. Someone that was smart enough to keep up with her. Someone who had her best interests at heart & that she herself likes…"

There was a faint note of encouragement in his voice, but as Jules followed his gaze & regarded Ana he was lost in his own thoughts.

"Hmm." He said. "I would want her to be happy too, but there aren't many Scarlet Macaws around this area though are there?" he said.

Felipe gave him an odd look, which Jules didn't catch as he was still watching Ana with Carol & the young Macaws. They were proudly showing off to her their hovering skills. "No." he conceded. "The only one around Ana didn't seem that impressed by." He paused again. "Of course, we always hoped that that would change & someone would come along someday…"

Again, there was that faint note of encouragement in his voice, but again, Jules was following a different train of thought.

"That's always possible." He said a little absently, still watching Ana. "The majority of the Scarlet Macaw population in Brazil is to the North-West of here though, so either they'd have to come here or she'd have to go to them."

Felipe shook his head. "She doesn't want to leave. Like you said, this is her Home." He gave Jules another odd look. "Perhaps though, there's someone suitable a little closer than that. Maybe not too far away at all." He paused, but as Jules still didn't seem to pick up on what he was saying he tried one last stab: "In fact, once they sort themselves out we were really hoping that…"

But he didn't get to finish. Ana, Carol & her kids were returning & she interrupted him: "Hello Dear." Carol said cheerfully. "Have you & Jules been having a nice chat?"

Felipe deflated a little. "Oh, yes. Very…interesting." he said. He & Carol exchanged a brief look. She raised her eye ridges at him, but he just gave a very slight shrug in return.

"Oh…right." She said. "Well, we have some more meeting & greeting to do before things get started. We'll leave you 2 alone for now dears, but don't be strangers, OK?"

Ana & Jules responded in the affirmative & the Hyacinth Macaws drifted off into the crowd, Carol barely waiting until the crowd blocked them from sight before turning on Felipe & beginning to ask him questions.

Ana turned back to Jules. "So, what were you 2 talking about?" she asked.

"Oh, he was just telling me about the other Birds in the Jungle." Jules said. "It's always good to remain informed about such things."

Ana shrugged. "I guess so."

"Yes, he was talking about the fact that there aren't many Scarlet Macaws in the Jungle." Jules said. "As far I know, there's only one other who I believe lives somewhere to the West of the City. Have you…"

Ana cut him off sharply. "Yes, I've met him." Jules looked slightly taken aback at her tone, & she continued in a more normal voice: "We don't get along, however."

"Oh…right. That's a pity." Jules said. He shrugged his wings. "I guess he was the one Felipe must have been referring to then, when he mentioned how they hoped there was someone for you not too far away."

"Yes." Ana said, though her tone was a little flat & her face was expressionless. "That must have been it." She shot a dirty look in the direction Felipe & Carol had disappeared in. She then rapidly changed the subject. "Well anyway, he was wrong. Now, you said earlier you'd like a chance to talk further with Luiz didn't you?" Jules nodded, & Ana inclined her head to where the Bulldog was sitting on his haunches at the edge of the clearing, talking to Rafael & Eva. "Let's go then, before the music starts."

Jules nodded again, & the 2 of them headed off towards Luiz.

* * *

Nico & Pedro ran their eye over the assembled group from their elevated position on a large flat rock underneath a tree that overlooked the clearing.

"Not a bad start, eh buddy?" Pedro said.

"Not bad at all." Nico conceded. "Of course, once all this introductory chit-chat is out of the way, that's where the _real_ party starts." He said confidently.

"You got that right." Pedro said as he interlaced his wing feathers & flexed them outwards. He rotated his wings a few times & flexed his neck from side-to-side making a few 'crick' sounds. "We'll show em _good_."

Nico glanced at the group again; a lot of the birds had finished their refreshments & were now just idly chatting, waiting for the music to start. He noted that of the Scarlet Macaws, Linda & Tulio had drifted back together (Tulio saving Linda from the company of that bore Ingrid) & that Ana & Jules were engaged in a conversation with Luiz, though Luiz seemed to be doing most of the talking.

With a flutter of wings Rafael flew up onto the branch to join them.

"Hey guys. You all set?" He said.

Nico glanced behind himself to where the MP3 Player in its speaker dock was placed behind & slightly above him, its speakers separated & aimed for maximum coverage over the area. The acoustics weren't ideal, but it should suffice. There were a few other birds who had agreed to be their backing singers clustered around it, & a Finch named Mary raised her wing in acknowledgement to Rafael's question.

"All set Nico." She said. "Just give the word." The other birds around her nodded in agreement.

"Many thanks, gorgeous." He said winking at her. She smiled back at him, & Nico turned back to Rafael. "Well, you heard the lovely lady. We're primed & ready to go."

"That's great guys." Rafael said happily. He glanced down at the group gathered in the clearing, rapidly running his eye over everyone. He then looked back with a smile. "Well, what're you waiting for then Amigo's? Come On! Let's get this party started!"

"Now you're talking!" Pedro agreed enthusiastically. The 2 Birds then turned & giving the signal to their backing singers, they got ready to begin.

* * *

"So uh…Luiz, wasn't it?" Jules asked & the Bulldog nodded. "As I said earlier, I've never spoken with a dog before. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions?"

"Oh well, I dunno." Luiz said slyly. "It depends whether they impact on 'Personal Matters.'" He winked at Jules.

"Touché." Jules admitted, but Luiz frowned.

"Hey man, there's no call to get all personal. I was just having a little joke. You don't need to bring my backside into this."

Ana hid a smile behind her wing at this & Jules looked puzzled. "Your…" but then realization dawned. "Oh, you thought…no, no, Luiz that wasn't what I meant." He said placatingly. "It's an expression meaning 'you have a good point'. And you're right. It's a bit rich of me to be asking personal questions of you when I'm not willing to answer them about myself."

Luiz shrugged. "Hey man, it's no big deal. I'm sure you gotchya reasons, but I don't mind talking bout myself. Whatya wanna know?"

Jules looked enthusiastic. "Well, do you mind telling me about your earliest memories? As I said, I've never had a chance to talk to a Dog & I'm eager to know just what kind of upbringing you had."

"Sure!" Luiz said affably. "Well, my first sight when I opened my eyes was my Mom, my 2 brothers & my Sis..." he began & was then well away.

Ana let the flow of Luiz's reminisces wash over her as her own mind wandered. Hearing the life of a pup described from first-person wasn't that interesting to her, but Jules was listing with an absorbed fascination. No doubt this was providing him with that glimpse into the lifecycle & experience of more predatory creatures he had wanted to know earlier.

Truth be told, Ana was beginning to wonder if coming along to this party was such a good idea. It was pretty clear to her what Felipe & Carol had been fishing for by momentarily separating her from Jules & questioning him, & she was glad Jules hadn't caught on, but the fact remained it was an obvious conclusion for them (& anyone else) to draw seeing as she kept staying in his company. She didn't feel that way about him & she was sure he didn't feel that way about her, they really were just friends, but it was probably only a matter a time before someone brought it up directly & when that happened Ana wasn't sure how Jules would react. There was also the issue of the Music & Dancing that was going to kick off at any moment. Ana had never really had time for such activities.

Really, why had she agreed to come? She wondered. She could have just turned down the invitation. Linda, Tulio & Jules would have been just fine without her being there. Maybe it wasn't too late for her to make her excuses & leave? But Jules would almost certainly wonder why she was backing out now… She gave him a sideways glance as he continued listening to Luiz. She wanted to remain on good terms with Jules. This idea that Rafael had sprung on her offered her a chance to continue to see him even after he was back to his human self. She also wanted to help him in any way she could. Hearing him talk so blithely about experimenting on himself was a little worrying. Would he get caught up in it despite his promises? Would there be any issues with his experiments? Could he end up stuck in some form or another, or worse yet, unable to maintain a single one? She couldn't let that happen. As well as reporting on his activities, Rafael's idea also offered her a chance to check them too.

Ana mulled this over as Luiz went on with his story. No, no she'd stay, she decided. Just watching from the side-lines like Jules would be doing should be alright. At least he wouldn't be getting caught up in the music & dancing like all the other Birds would be & as such no-one would be bugging her to join in either, she reasoned.

* * *

Jules listened to Luiz with a rapt attention that the Bulldog was obviously gratified by. Just as Luiz got to the part about being adopted by Old J the Mechanic & the beginnings of his interest in both Machinery & Samba, Nico's voice suddenly rang out across the clearing. For such a little Bird, he had a powerful voice.

"All right everyone, settle down." Nico called. The milling group of birds ceased their conversations & looked up expectantly at him. "You've waited long enough, so let's get this Party started!" The Birds cheered, the youngsters hopping up & down in excitement. "We're going to kick things off with an old favourite." Nico continued. "If our lives were a movie, this would be the opening credits for sure…Real in Rio!"

The Birds cheered, & activating the MP3 player behind them for the backing music, the group began to sing:

_"All the birds of a feather, do what they love most of all. We are the best at rhythm and laughter, that's why we love Carnaval."_

Hearing this song, many of the adult birds began move with the music, the parents gently encouraging their youngsters to join in with simple moves or by just moving with the rhythm of the song, so they could follow along with the beat.

_"All so clear we can sing to, sun and beaches they call. Dance to the music, passion and love; show us the best you can do". _

In the midst of all this, Jules watched the crowd, fascinated. Luiz had begun to move to the music, his story forgotten for now, Blu & Jewel were dancing with their kids, as were Rafael & Eva & even Linda & Tulio were beginning to nod their heads along with the infectious song. The only ones not moving along to the music were Jules & Ana as they watched from the side-lines. The group on their makeshift boulder-stage continued singing, with their backing singers beginning to echo certain phrases, adding to the atmosphere.

_"Everyone here is on fire, get up and join in the fun. Dance with a stranger, romance and danger, magic could happen for real, in Rio, all by itself. (Itself)"_

With a start, Jules realised that he was beginning to nod his head & tap one of his claws to the music too. Ana gave him an odd look & he briefly considering restraining himself, but it felt so good he decided against it.

_"You can't see it coming; you can't find it anywhere else (anywhere else). It's real, in Rio, know something else (something else.) You can't feel it happening; you can't feel it all by yourself!"_

The song finished with a flourish & the assembled group of birds cheered & clapped their wings. Jules stopped nodding & Ana looked at him sidelong. "I thought you weren't into music & dancing Jules?" she said.

"No, not really." He said. "But I just…feel it. It surprises me, as I've never felt this way about music before." He raised the edge of his wing to his breast & tapped it as he continued. "It's like I feel it in my…in my…" he stopped, at a loss for a description.

Luiz laughed. "Heart." he supplied, giving Jules a gentle nudge on his breast that nonetheless caused him to take a few steps back. "Ralfi is always on bout' that. Honestly buddy, I dunno why you're surprised. All the birds that live round here have music & dancin' in their blood. You just can't have heard music like this before & it's bringin' it out. You should just go with it man! Let it out!"

Jules nodded in agreement, as 'like this' was probably more accurate a description than Luiz realised, but then the logical extension of this struck him, & he gave Ana a puzzled look. "Yes, I think you're right Luiz, But if so, Ana…how come you…"

Ana looked uncomfortable. "Well I…just…haven't...I…I mean, I don't…" she stopped, & Jules' look changed from puzzlement to mild concern. He then looked up at Luiz who gave a noncommittal shrug.

"Hey Ana." Luiz began. "There's nothin' wrong with letting yourself enjoy the music is there? At least, not now you have a good friend to share it with…?"

Ana shot him an exasperated look, but just then Nico called out: "Short but sweet huh folks? But don't think we just have a bunch of old favourites, no, no! Let's mix things up a little alright? Here we go!" Pedro activated the MP3 player again & the group then sang rapidly:

_"C'mon shake your body baby do that Conga, I know you can't control yourself any longer, C'mon shake your body baby do that Conga, I know you can't control yourself any longer."_

The birds cheered again, & began to move to the music like before. This was another popular favourite it seemed. A passage of instrumental music followed, & then Nico & Pedro sang again:

_"Everybody, gather round now; get your body off the seat."_

_"Don't you worry, if you can't dance, let the music move your feet." _

From across the Clearing, Nico gave Jules & Ana a quick wink at this.

_"It's the rhythm, of the islands, & like Sugar Cane so sweet."_

_ "If you want to, do the Conga, you've got to listen to the beat."_

They shifted into rapid-fire singing again:

_"C'mon shake your body baby do that Conga, I know you can't control yourself any longer, feel the rhythm of the music getting stronger, don't you fight it, til you try to do that Conga, beat"._

They then began to vocalise strangely, with their backing singers echoing them.

_"Ohh-Ehh-Ohh-Ehh, (Ohh-Ehh-Ohh-Ehh), Ohh-Ehh-Ohh-Ahh, (Ohh-Ehh-Ohh-Ahh) Ohh-Ehh-Ohh-Ehh, (Ohh-Ehh-Ohh-Ehh) Ohh-Ehh-Ohh-Ahh, (Ohh-Ehh-Ohh-Ahh)"_

Without stopping, their backing music smoothly transitioned into that of a different song, but with the same beat.

_"This night, don't put up a useless fight, there's no place that you can hide, no, no, the rhythm is gonna getcha". _

Nico gave Jules & Ana another quick wink at this. Why did he keep singling them out? Jules wondered even as he moved along to the music.

_"Be blessed, let the rhythm fill your breast, what I say is not in Jest, cause I know it, the rhythm is gonna getcha."_

_"Rhythm is gonna getcha, rhythm is gonna getcha, rhythm is gonna get-you." _

_"Rhythm is gonna get-you…tonight!"_

Nico thrust out his wing feather on the last word, pointing in the general direction of the crowd, Jules was glad that he didn't point at him specifically. He & Pedro now appeared to be totally caught up in their performance. Their backing music transitioned smoothly once again.

_"You say I know, it's a waste of time, there's no use trying."_

_"Don't let the sweet, music pass you by, your Spirit's flying." _

Nico & Pedro gave an expansive gesture towards the sky.

_"Not long ago, I could feel your strength, & your devotion."_

_"The skies are clear, it's not overcast, show your emotion."_

The repeated their skyward gesture.

_"Deep in your heart is the answer, find it I know it'll pull you though!"_

The backing singers began repeating one line, followed each time by a brief instrumental part & then Nico & Pedro singing an extra line each time:

_"(Get on your feet!)"_

_"Get up & make it happen."_

_"(Get on your feet!)"_

_"Stand up, & take some action."_

_"(Get on your feet!)"_

_"Don't stop, before it's over."_

_"(Get on your feet!)"_

_"The weight is off your shoulders."_

By this time, the whole massed group of birds was totally caught up in the music. Watching fascinated from the side-lines, Jules felt that same pull, to move to the music, that he had felt before. He resisted partly because of Ana's reluctance & partly because he didn't want to give in to this feeling too much. Even though he felt it was almost certainly harmless, it was still a new feeling originating from his new form, so he didn't want to give it too much free reign. He settled for nodding his head & tapping his claw, but he definitely felt like he could just take off & start dancing, like all the other Birds were. This included Linda & Tulio, but Jules suspected it was slightly different for them as they were into dancing to begin with. He watched from across the clearing with a mild amusement as they kept forgetting about their long tail feathers & bumping them into each other or Birds around them. Fortunately, they both they & the other parties involved in these minor collisions laughed it off as just their inexperience with the activity, & they were rapidly getting the hang of it.

Nico & Pedro were now singing in unison with their backing singers.

_"Get on your Feet!"_

_"Get on your Feet!"_

They finished up with a final rapid refrain from the first song.

_"C'mon shake our body baby do the Conga, I know you can't control yourself any longer."_

They finished on the last beat of the music & a spread-wing gesture to the crowd. A chorus of cheers erupted from the assembled birds. On a roll now, Nico called out again:

"Not too bad a mixer hey everyone?" He paused, smiling, as the chorus of cheers, whoops & hollers continued & then went on: "Now, let's go for an old favourite with a new twist. Are you ready to…Live La Vida Loca?"

The cheers went up again, & Pedro once again activated the MP3 player. The opening chords of the song began to fill the clearing, & once again the crowd began to move to it. Jules glanced at Ana.

"Say, I know that one." He said. "Well, I think everyone does, really. But what did he mean by 'a new twist?'"

Ana had been looking around the clearing with a slightly wary look, but she smiled in response to Jules' comment. "Oh, you'll see." She said. "I may not have seen it personally, but everyone in the Jungle knows these 2 have quite a talent for singing." She fell silent as the group started their song:

_"She's into, dancing Latin, flowing moves and catchy songs. From L.A. to Manhattan, She floors all the watching throngs."_

A snatch of instrumental Latin music followed, & once again Jules gave in to moving along to it, insofar as tapping his claw, nodding his head & swaying gently. Ana gave him another sidelong look, but then after glancing down at the floor, around the clearing & back at him briefly, she then gave an almost inaudible sigh. With a resigned expression on her face she then began to tap her claw along to the music too. Noticing this, Luiz gave a happy grin to Ana's back.

_"She's into new sensations, new steps in the moonlight. Part of the rhythm nation, those wings are outta sight!"_

_"She'll make you throw off your caution & go dancing in the rain. She loves to live her Party life, she's anything but plain. She's got Parties on the brain! Come on!"_

The group then sang the Chorus, belting it out with an energy that seemed to transmit itself through the crowd, energizing them to dance along with them. Once again, Jules felt that mild pull to move to the music, to dance, apparently originating from the inbuilt instincts of his new body (or 'blood' as Luiz put it) but restrained himself.

_"Upside inside out, she's living la Vida Loca." _

_"That's what she's about, living la Vida Loca."_

_"See her go all-out, is she fuelled by Mocha?"_

_"Hear the gang all shout, living' la Vida Loca."_

_"Living la Vida Loca, she's living' la Vida Loca!"_

Another snatch of instrumental music followed. Everyone in the clearing was moving along to the beat of the song, though some more enthusiastically than others. On one end of the spectrum some of the adults were twirling like tops, but some others like the youngsters were being more conservative & just swaying, nodding & tapping their claws on the branches or ground like Jules & Ana.

_"She flew to New York City; saw the sights around Times Square. She saw the Mets and saw the Lady, she saw it all from the air."_

_"She went to La party Loca, they were glad she's 'in the house'. The whole scene just adores her, as the party she can rouse. Her dance they all espouse! Come on!"_

They group again sang the Chorus, & then repeated some of the opening verses. All the while, appealing with wide gestures for their audience to join in with the dance & share their enthusiasm. Not that the crowd appeared to need much encouragement. Even Ana, who had at first begun moving along to the music just so she wouldn't appear to be the odd one out, appeared increasingly comfortable with moving along to the rhythm.

As the song ended & the crowd once again cheered, Nico & Pedro exchanged mischievous grins.

"You like that folks?" Nico called out. "Great! But I think some of you more experienced party-goers can't help but feel that something is missing, am I right? Well, we agree! Ever since he retired we've missed that certain sparkle he brought to the proceedings…but, now we know that he's right here, how can we pass up the opportunity to ask the King of Carnaval to make a comeback?" A chorus of laughter & cheers rose up & the majority of the Adult Birds turned to look at where Rafael & Eva were supervising their kids. He looked surprised.

"Oh, hey now, C'mon Amigos." he began, holding up his wings in a 'hold up' gesture. "You guys know I don't…"

Pedro cut him off. "Aww, c'mon man! Just this once? Pretty Please? This is a special occasion right? How can you deny these youngsters the chance to see the Master at work?" He held out his wing, beckoning Rafael to come up onto the rock to join them.

Whether Rafael would have protested further or not, a chorus of encouraging shouts rose up from the crowd surrounding him & some of the other Birds around him began to nudge him towards the rocks.

"Alright! Alright!" he said, amused. "Just this once though, ok guys?"

He fluttered up onto the rock & Nico & Pedro leaned in close to him to conduct a quick discussion in tones too low for any of the observers to hear. They straightened up & turned to face the expectant group.

"The King has agreed to do an old classic." Nico announced. "Now, some of you youngsters probably won't know it, but rest assured no party is complete without it. It's also in Spanish, but don't worry, it sounds better that way. So, enjoy Guantanamera!" He gestured to the Pedro as the crowd cheered, & the opening strains of the music began.

Rafael, Nico, Pedro & their backing singers all started off by singing the opening refrain together:

_Guantanamera, Guajira Guantanamera._

_Guantanamera. Guajira, Guantanamera._

The music swelled behind them, & they sang the opening verses again.

_Guantanamera, Guajira Guantanamera._

_Guantanamera. Guajira, Guantanamera._

Rafael then sang solo, with Nico, Pedro & their backing singers echoing him softly:

_Yo soy un hombre sincero, de donde crece la palma. _

_Yo soy un hombre sincero, de donde crece la palma._

_Y antes de morirme quiero, echar mis versos del alma._

They then sang the Chorus again. Jules listened, fascinated. Not only was this the first time he had heard Birds speak a different language (therefore proving there were different dialects in the Bird Language too) Rafael was a great singer. He leaned a little closer to Ana & said so. "Wow…he is _good_." He said softly. Ana nodded in a resigned manner, but Luiz also overheard Jules' comment & grinned happily.

The group on the rock continued:

_Guantanamera, Guajira Guantanamera._

_Guantanamera. Guajira Guantanamera_

Rafael continued his solo part, the group once again echoing him softly:

_Cultivo una rosa blanca, en julio como en enero._

_Cultivo una rosa blanca, en julio como en enero._

_Para el amigo sincero, que me da su mano franca._

The Group repeated the opening refrain, but twice this time:

_Guantanamera, Guajira Guantanamera._

_Guantanamera. Guajira Guantanamera._

_Guantanamera, Guajira Guantanamera._

_Guantanamera. Guajira Guantanamera._

Rafael began his final verse. Jules listened enraptured, & even Ana appeared to be swept up in the power of Rafael's performance too:

_Mi verso es de un verde claro, y de un carmin encendido._

_Mi verso es de un verde claro, y de un carmin encendido._

_Mi verso es un ciervo herido, que busca en el monte amparo._

The Group finished up by repeating the opening refrain twice more.

_Guantanamera, Guajira Guantanamera._

_Guantanamera. Guajira Guantanamera._

_Guantanamera, Guajira Guantanamera._

_Guantanamera. Guajira Guantanamera._

_Guantanamera!_

The Group finished on the last word with another spread-wing gesture. The crowd went wild. Nico waited a moment for the cheering & hollering to die down, & then spoke: "Great stuff, huh guys? We like to think we do our best, but nobody yet has been able to match the King. Still, that's a high bar we have to strive for right?" The crowd whooped their agreement. "Well, I think we're off to a great start." He continued: "But let's calm things down with a few music only tracks. But don't worry! We've got plenty more great singing performances coming up later. Save some of your energy for those ok?" He then gestured to the group around the MP3 player & as they activated it, a slow & gentle Latin Music track began to play, filling the clearing. The Birds then fluttered down of the rock to mingle with the crowd, most of which began congratulating them.

Luiz then turned to Jules. "Well, whatya think Buddy? You likin' it so far?"

"Fantastic performance." Jules said appreciatively. Luiz grinned at him again.

"Hey, these guys don't run the best Samba Club in the area for nothin' ya know." He said. He transferred his gaze to Ana. "I'm glad to see you getting into the swing of things too Ana."

She shrugged noncommittally. "Yeah, I guess that was pretty good…" she paused as Luiz gave her a Look, with his head on one side. "…Ok then…it was…Awesome." She admitted. Luiz grinned again. "Maybe someday someone will be able to tell me what words they were actually singing in that last song."

Jules looked at her. "Oh that? That was Spanish, like Nico said." He informed her. "It's quite a popular anthem as I recall."

"Sure is." Luiz said. "Ralfi can sing it in Portuguese too, but it don't seem right. That's why he leaves it in the native."

"I don't understand it in either language." Ana admitted. "I don't speak Spanish or Portuguese."

Luiz raised his eye ridges at that. "Oh, for reals? That's a pity. But you don't need to to appreciate a great song like that."

"No. I guess not." Ana said. "I'd still be interested in knowing though."

"I could give you a rough translation if you want Ana." Jules offered.

She looked at him in surprise. "You speak Spanish, Jules?"

"Yes. And Portuguese." Jules informed them.

Luiz's eye ridges went up. "Is that so? Not many do nowadays. It's a shame. I'm sure Ralfi, Nico & Pedro will be happy to find someone else who can natter away in the national Lingo. I only know a few phrases myself, like: 'Onde eu estou?' 'Onde está o norte?' & 'Eu sou uma laranja.' They've gotten me by so far."

"Hmm." Jules replied. "Those would be in order: 'Where am I?' 'Which way is north?' & err… 'I am an orange'?"

Luiz stared at him. Then he broke out into a grin. "Why that little…I've been sayin' it wrong this whole time? No wonder they keep sniggering behind their wings at the fruit stall! How's it meant to be said?"

"Eu gostaria de uma laranja," Jules said obligingly. "That means: 'I would like an orange'."

Luiz grinned at him again. "Cheers buddy!" He transferred his gaze to Ana. "Guess you're right Ana. It pays to learn this stuff."

"I always meant to learn." Ana admitted, "But there aren't many opportunities to do that in the Jungle."

"I could teach you sometime." Jules offered. "That is, if you do want to keep in touch, like what Rafael suggested earlier."

Ana put her head on one side as she eyed Jules. "I'd…like that, Jules."

Luiz grinned at them both. Jules shifted a little & cleared his throat. "Yes, well that's for later. Right now, I could translate those lyrics if you want?..."

"Please do Jules." Ana said.

"Right." Jules thought for a moment & then said. "Well, the first verse: '_yo soy un hombre sincero, de donde crece la palma'_ translates to: 'I am a sincere man from where the palm tree grows.'"

Ana looked amused. "Fitting. Apart from the 'man' part, that describes Rafael to a tee."

"Hmm. Well I guess they didn't want to go messing around with the lyrics too much, like they apparently did with the other songs. Anyway, the ending part of that verse: '_Y antes de morirme quiero, echar mis versos del alma_' translates to: 'And before I die, take the verses of my Soul.'"

"A little morbid, but a very moving sentiment." Ana commented. She shifted slightly, more interested now. "Go on. And the rest?"

As Jules continued his translation, Luiz, unnoticed by both of them, smiled & drew back, he then ambled off, leaving them engrossed in their discussion.


	12. Chapter 12

**Yup, still going. The story continues to crystalize slowly through my keyboard inbetween the other work i'm currently loaded down with. I****'m still following my overarching story plan. I've actually been working on the ending a lot & i'm not sure if it's too crazy or not crazy enough. Time will tell.**

**This chapter also addresses one little problem I had with the ending of the film. Is it just me who noticed it upon repeat viewings?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rio, but the Elder told me I could prove my worth by undertaking a quest to recover the 7 Sacred Artefacts from the Trap & Monster-infested dungeons spread all across the world & then use them to destroy the Evil King. I decided to watch TV while eating Nacho's instead.**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

"Watch this Dad!" Andre called. He proceeded to twirl himself around, pulling off some dance moves in Rhythm to the instrumental Latin music filling the area.

"Very well done son!" Blu said appreciatively. Jewel echoed the sentiment as they watched their kids dance, or at least try to. Andre was the most enthusiastic about it, but Paulo was more concerned with trying to get his technique right & Gia confined herself to staying on the side-lines & just swaying along to the music. She was always a bit shy about things like that.

Transferring his attention from his kids for a moment, Blu glanced up & around at the crowd. Everyone appeared to be having such a good time. The performance Pedro, Nico, Rafael & their backing singers had put on had energized a lot of the group, both adult & youngster alike. His kids were certainly enjoying themselves, showing off their dance moves to the other young Birds & them in turn showing them off to each other & their parents. The adults were getting into the spirit too. He & Jewel had certainly indulged themselves in some dance & getting carried away by the music & song.

As his gaze swept around the group it paused on Linda & Tulio, who had moved a little away from the clearing to have a quiet chat together. He knew that Tulio had been gently encouraging Linda to participate more in the Samba scene as their relationship between the two developed, & although she was still a little shy, her skill in interest in the activity was coming along nicely. He noted however, that her enthusiasm for dance & the degree she got caught up in the music this evening was notably higher than level she had related to him during their catch-up meetings. Equally, when he had glanced across the clearing during one of the earlier songs, he had noticed that despite his earlier claim to not really be into such activities, Jules was swaying, nodding & tapping his claw along to the music too.

None of them were getting carried away to the degree that he had been when he had first heard the Music in The Branch (Their claws weren't running away with them, for instance), but they certainly appeared to feel the beat more deeply than they had before & Blu suspected it was their change of form influencing their tastes, but not overriding them. All the Birds from this area of Brazil (such as himself) appeared to have music & dance in their DNA, so following the logic of how Jules stated they had changed, they now did too, just not to the same degree as himself, though all the guys said he was a natural. He had been raised to be comfortable with Human environments, but when exposed to fresh fruit, Samba, & (eventually) flying, his Brazilian Bird instincts had been awakened. His friends now had those instincts too, but much weaker, most likely because they hadn't been Bird's long & hadn't been raised with them. It looked like this was a valuable piece of Data for Jules. His formula granted instincts suitable to the form along with it, but the individual remained in control & could choose whether or not to act upon them depending on their own learned or inherent preferences.

This however, brought up the issue of Ana. She was an odd exception to the general rule of all the Brazilian Birds loving Music & Dance, always giving some excuse or other about why she couldn't or wouldn't participate (thus making it an amusing irony that she was the source of the aforementioned DNA). The subject of why this was the case was one he had once brought up with Rafael, but he had just looked a little sad & politely asked Blu to drop the subject, but also mentioned that he hoped it was something that Ana would get over someday. They just needed to wait until she was ready.

He glanced across the clearing at her. She & Jules were currently engaged in conversation, & Blu wondered idly what they were talking about. The 2 of them appeared to be getting along very well, to the point that Blu had noted earlier that she even appeared to be thawing on the activity of dancing, joining in with Jules as he moved along to the beat. While he approved of this shift in her attitude, as he watched them chat however, a tiny bit of doubt entered his mind. They _were_ just friends weren't they? Ana knew who, or more precisely, _what_ he really was, & though Blu thought it was awesome that Jules' creation allowed his friends to enter & experience his world, getting close on that level would be just too weird.

"Dad! You're not looking!" Blu guiltily snapped his attention back to Andre.

"Sorry son." He apologized. "I was just checking up on our new friends, but I'm looking now. Go on, show me again please?"

As Andre continued his moves, Jewel leaned over slightly towards Blu & spoke softly without taking her eyes off of her son. "Everything all right?" she asked.

"Oh yes." Blu responded softly, also without taking his gaze off of his son's enthusiastic dance display. "I was just thinking about how well the others seemed to be getting along. We always thought that dance as well as flying was in our DNA & I guess this proves it."

"I guess so." She admitted. She was silent for a moment & then continued: "It's nice to know that they could've fitted in if they had had too." She glanced around quickly, making sure that no-one was close enough to overhear, & in a low voice went on: "Though if it had been permanent, I'd imagine they'd have been a lot more upset, at least at first. Our lives our awesome, but they would have lost a lot from having to give up their Human ones. Those things they call Careers, but more importantly, Family. Linda couldn't have continued with her adoption of Fernando, for one thing."

In spite of the seriousness of her words, visions of Linda in her Scarlet Macaw body using her claw to hold a pen & sign the Adoption Papers, shaking the hand of a beaming official & being photographed perched on Fernando's arm while the 2 of them smiled at the camera danced through Blu's mind. He mentally shook the absurd images away. "Very true." He agreed seriously. "Both Linda & Tulio have become really fond of that boy. It's fortunate that he was away while this happened so he hasn't been worried." He paused for a moment. "This whole thing has been more like a vacation than a real crisis for them hasn't it? Oh, there was that initial worry, but now that they have that solid plan for tomorrow, they're relaxing & enjoying the experience…" he paused with a thoughtful look on his face & Jewel gave him a brief curious glance.

"What's on your mind Blu?" she asked.

He glanced at her. "Well…I was just wondering…if they have the time that is, before they go back to the Centre tomorrow…"

Jewel's eye ridges rose as she twigged what Blu was talking about. "Ah…yes. We did plan on doing that, didn't we…" She paused for a moment, watching Andre as he showed off some of his moves for some of his young Macaw friends. "You want to invite them along." It wasn't a question.

"Yes." Blu rushed into speech. "You know they're not here like…like this…long, & this may be their only chance to see Rio…you know, the way we do."

Jewel face lightened. "From the air….the views, the…Freedom." Her voice softened on the last word.

Blu looked hopeful, & Jewel looked at him & smiled. "It's fine with me." As he smiled back at her, she went on: "Don't get your hopes up though Blu." She warned. "We'll talk to them about it, but we'll need to ask them just what their plans for tomorrow are. We don't know just how difficult getting back into the Centre & to this contraption of Jules will be, so they might not have time."

"If not, then I'll accept that." Blu said reasonably. "It's been lovely to have them visit, & if it has to end soon that's fine, but I hope we have a bit more time before they need to leave."

"Well, as I said, we'll see." Jewel said as she & Blu returned their attention to their kids.

* * *

Nico & Pedro made their way around the clearing, engaging in brief chats with the Birds present as they went.

"Nicely done guys!"

"Wonderful work you 2. The kids loved it so much."

"Such a good job dears. We all thought it was wonderful, didn't we Darling?"

"Yes Dear."

"Great job Guys! You really threw down!"

The 2 modestly received these compliments & reassured everyone that there was more to come. As they made their way around, they deliberately aimed their route towards the new arrivals, Linda & Tulio. The 2 Scarlet Macaws looked up at their approach.

"Hey guys." Nico called. The 2 Macaws smiled at them & greeted them politely, adding their own compliments for their performance. "Thanks guys. I'm glad you enjoyed it. There's more to come though! We're gonna make sure this introduction to our talents is an awesome as it can be." He said, puffing up his chest proudly.

"Yes, err…didn't you guys mention something earlier about running a Samba Club?" Tulio asked with interest.

Nico & Pedro brightened. "Oh, yeah! It's called The Branch, & in our humble opinion…" Pedro said, looking anything but humble. "…it's the best Samba club in all of Rio, & probably all of Brazil."

"We're really proud of it." Nico added. "We used to have a simpler place in a tent in a back alley, but to properly compete with other places with stuff like proper bars & lighting setups, we knew we needed to up our game."

"Fascinating." Tulio said. "Well, I'd certainly like to see it someday."

Nico & Pedro smiled widely at him, pleased. "Of course you can!" Nico proclaimed. "All Birds are welcome, & after all, there's no place better for a couple to go & dance….oh, err," He paused looking at their slightly taken-aback expressions. "I just assumed from what Ralfi said…you 2 _are_ a couple…right?"

Linda & Tulio looked at each other, & then Tulio turned back to address Nico: "Well…we…I guess… you could say that."

"Yes, but we're taking it slow." Linda interjected. "We enjoy each other's company, but we feel there's no need to rush into anything."

Nico nodded. "Yeah, yeah. It's totally up to you, for sure…but you do agree that this place is awesome right? And if want, we could point you towards somewhere where you could set up Home." He rushed on: "There are a few hollow trees that would be just right, & if you want, we could give some tips on how to stay safe in the City so you can come & find The Branch. What more could a Bird want huh?"

Linda & Tulio exchanged a Look, & Linda spoke kindly to Nico. "That is really nice of you guys, & we do appreciate the offer…" Nico & Pedro smiled, but Linda went on: "…but I'm afraid we really do need to move on tomorrow. There are important things we need to deal with that cannot be put off. I'm sorry."

Nico & Pedro looked a little down. "Oh…sure." Nico said. "That's a real shame." Linda smiled at him sympathetically & inclined her head slightly in agreement. "But if that's the way it is…that's the way it is." He finished philosophically.

"I'm afraid so." Tulio said. "But hey, as I said, perhaps we'll be able to see it someday. We hope to be able to come back sometime later."

Nico & Pedro brightened again. "Sweet!" Pedro said. "We hope so too. We'll make sure you get a great welcome, it's always nice to get special guests from out of town, like when Blu first arrived in Rio & he & Jewel came along."

Linda looked interested. "Oh? I heard they had quite an adventure when they first came to Rio…but I don't really know the details."

Nico nodded sagely. "'Quite an Adventure' is an Understatement. We were involved in most of it you know."

"Really?" Linda eyed the Duo with closer attention. "Would you mind…telling us about it?"

"Oh sure, it's a great tale, & we've got time before the next set." Nico nudged Pedro with his wing. "Hey buddy, How about I tell them about meeting Blu in the Jeep, while you go grab something to wet our beaks? That singing is thirsty work, right?"

Pedro nodded. "No problem." He gave the Canary a stern look. "Just the Jeep though ok buddy? Don't move on to The Branch bit til' I'm back."

"You got it." Nico said as he tipped his Bottle-Cap hat to him in acknowledgement.

As Pedro turned & made his way through the crowd to where Victor was stationed behind the flat rock serving a makeshift bar, Nico turned back to the Scarlet Macaws & began to tell them about the time they had first met Blu. The 2 listened with attentive interest.

As Pedro returned with a Thimble for both himself & Nico, he was just in time to hear Linda say."…were trying to free him?"

"Yeah. Course, we weren't to know then that he couldn't fly or that he was happy with his life living with a Human…oh, thanks Buddy." He accepted one of the Thimbles from Pedro. "I don't think I'd ever want to give up my life of being able to go & stay where I pleased, but if I did, I would hope it would be for someone like Blu's Linda. The Human world could do with more like her." He took a drink from the Thimble, therefore missing the odd expression that passed swiftly over Linda's face.

"Yes, well, as you were saying?" Tulio cut in swiftly. "He said he was fine in the cage, & then?"

Pedro took up the story. "Oh, so then we said 'suit yourself' & split. We didn't see him again until he showed up in the market the next day with Ralfi & Jewel."

"Yeah." Nico continued. "They were looking for Luiz's help get the chain on their legs off, but they'd just missed him so we invited them along to The Branch, back when it was just under an awning in a back alley…" Nico continued to relate the story, & the 2 listened with great interest. They looked pleased at the relation of the closer moments the 2 Blue Macaws had shared during the song at The Branch & on the trolley car, as well as equally thrilled & concerned at the story of the invasion of & fight with the Monkeys, Blu nearly choking on a petal & the near 'shave' with the Saw blade at the Mechanics.

"When Luiz finally got the chain off by err… "Lubricating' it with his spit, Jewel took off flying around & above the place & we followed." Nico finished up. "We all got so caught up in her enthusiasm, when we finally noticed Blu down on the ground, we err…" He looked a little down. "…Started trying to encourage him to join us. Course, we weren't to know then that he couldn't fly. We probably made him feel bad, & that's when…" Nico stopped & gulped.

Pedro put his wing around the smaller Bird's shoulders comfortingly. "Hey, Buddy. He apologized for that, remember? He's said many times since that he didn't mean it."

"Yeah, I know." The Canary said, still looking a little down. "But still, it got me right…there, you know?" He tapped the edge of his wing to his breast. He then looked up at Linda & Tulio's surprised looks. "He started saying he didn't belong here & never wanted to come, but then he said…he said he…" Nico stopped, seemingly unable to say the words.

Pedro rescued him. "He just said…something really bad about Samba." He rushed on. "We know now he was just saying that out of frustration, mind you! We could see he was a natural at it, & he's definitely one of the best Samba dancers around, right little buddy?" He said to Nico encouragingly.

Nico perked up. "Yeah. I knew he didn't mean it really. I mean, who could? Sure there are some who are more or less into it than others, but nobody could ever...ever _dislike_ Samba. Am I right guys? He appealed to the Scarlet Macaws.

"Oh certainly not." Tulio agreed.

"No, most certainly not." Linda echoed the sentiment, but then she went on: "So guys, please go on. What happened then?"

"Oh well, you know." Pedro waved his wing dismissively. "Both Blu & Jewel were putting on this big 'I Don't Care' act & storming off in opposite directions, but Ralfi saw right through _that_. He went after Blu while we tailed Jewel, & then…well, that was when things got _complicated_."

Linda & Tulio raised their eye ridges again, & the Duo continued the story of how Nigel ambushed Jewel, their rush to tell Blu about it & then travelling to the Carnaval parade to search for her.

"But man, that Dude was _tricky_." Pedro proclaimed. "He was like some big white Ninja, or something. He got the drop on all of us, locking us up in cages & then doing the same to Blu when he showed up. I gotta tell ya, I thought we all were done for."

"Me too, but that guy underestimated Blu big time." Nico said. He related the details of their escape, bringing it up to the point where Blu opened the hatch. "…and seeing Rio spread out before us, beckoning us, we all took off together. Man you have no idea how sweet it felt to get out of there! And we…"

"Whoa, hold up." Linda said, stopping him with a half-raised wing. She was frowning slightly. "You all took off together?"

"Yeah, & the cheers the whole group gave were…" Nico began, but Linda cut him off again.

"And Blu as well?" she questioned.

Nico & Pedro's faces fell. "Ah." Nico said. They both looked down at their claws, & started shuffling them awkwardly. "Well…we kinda…forgot, about Blu not being able to fly. In the excitement of the moment."

"You left him in the plane? After he'd just rescued you all?" Linda said & there was a faint edge to her voice. Tulio shot her a warning look.

"Hey, we all got carried away in the rush to Freedom!" Pedro protested. "We 3 got halfway back to the Jungle before Ralfi suddenly called out 'Where's Blu & Jewel?' & the realization of what we'd just done hit us slap in the face & we felt _terrible_. I've never felt so bad in all my life."

"By then, the plane was totally out of sight." Nico continued. "We had no idea where to even begin looking, but of course we tried. We spread out, & started asking every Bird we could find if they'd seen that plane or 2 Blue Macaws. We later got word the plane had crashed just to the South, but there was no-one on board."

"That was something, but it was a day or 2 later when word got passed along the Jungle grapevine that Blu & Jewel had both turned up back at the Conservation Centre." Pedro said. "Man, we high-tailed it over there, & we managed to sneak in late at night to see them. They were happy to see us, but seeing the state Jewel was in with her wing, we nearly broke down apologizing. But both of them were completely cool about it all. They told us not to beat ourselves up & everything had worked out, as Blu had finally worked up the courage to fly."

"'Die or fly' will do that." Linda said, still sounding a little put out. But then she smiled at the Duo. "But he's right. Everything worked out for the best. I guess he needed that push to get over his hang-up about flying."

"Exactly." Nico said, relieved that Linda no longer appeared upset about them leaving Blu & Jewel in the plane. To be sure, it was a grievous oversight on their part, but her rapid zeroing on it had caught them a little off guard.

"And now they live happily together with their kids in a safe place." Tulio finished up, glancing up across the clearing to where Blu, Jewel & their kids were enjoying themselves. It sounded a little like he was reassuring Linda of that fact, & as she followed his gaze, she smiled & nodded.

"Quite right." She said. She turned her attention back to the Duo. "Sorry guys, I didn't mean to snap at you." She said apologetically.

"Hey, it's no big deal." Nico said. "You're right that we acted rather selfishly right then & we've tried to make up to them about it. We just got carried away with…you know, the downer of being caged but then the elation of being freed…"

"I can appreciate that." Linda said graciously. She smiled again. "But hey guys, thanks for taking the time to talk with us. We really appreciate it, & we promise we'll tell you all about that…thing we couldn't tell you about earlier at some time. I think you'll understand then…or at least I hope so, why we've been a bit…secretive about it, just like Rafael said. You've been wonderfully welcoming & considerate, letting us participate in all this…" she half-waved her wing to the crowd of Birds all enjoying themselves. "And you deserve to get a full explanation…just not right now."

Nico & Pedro glanced at each other in mild surprise. "Umm…ok…I guess that's cool." Pedro said. "It's great to talk to you too…" He glanced up at the rock with the MP3 player, which was coming to end of the instrumental Latin tracks it had been playing & their backing singers were beginning to regroup. "…but time has flown & we need to get back for the second set. We hope you guys enjoy. C'mon buddy, we need to fire this place up again!"

"You got it." Nico slightly tipped his bottle cap hat to the 2 Scarlet Macaws. "Great to chat with you guys. Maybe we'll catch you later, ok?" The 2 nodded in agreement, & the Duo took their leave back to the makeshift stage.

* * *

Rafael made his way through the crowd, chatting with the others present, making sure they were enjoying themselves & generally being a good host. This was the first time they had attempted such a get-together in the Jungle, & if it went well, there was the possibility of more in future.

As he made his way around the perimeter of the clearing, he encountered Luiz coming in the opposite direction. As well as being invited because he was a friend, Rafael had asked the Bulldog if he could keep his keen Canine senses peeled for any potential problems that might interrupt the proceedings. Even though the Conservation Centre had made this section of the Jungle a Protected Area & cleared out a lot of the Predators, they could potentially sneak back in.

"Nuttin to report." Luiz said. "If there are any nasties round' here, my marks are keeping em well away."

"I'm pretty sure there aren't." Rafael said. "But it's best to make sure. Thanks buddy."

"No worries, Ralfi. I wouldn't want anything to interrupt the good time everyone seems to be havin'…even those new friends of yours." Luiz added.

Rafael's eye ridges rose. "Oh?"

"Yeah. That new guy who showed up with Ana? Those 2 seem to be gettin' on really well." He glanced up across the clearing & Rafael followed his gaze to where Jules & Ana were deep in conversation.

"They are, are they?..." Rafael said. He paused, watching as Jules said something to Ana, & her frowning with concentration as she paused for a moment & then said something else back, hesitating slightly over the words. He had better find out just _how_ well. He had said to the guys earlier that those 2 weren't romantically close, but that had partly to discourage them from trying to pair them up & partly an expression of his own hope that neither of them had gotten caught up in the moment & forgotten that they weren't really each other's type…literally.

"I think I'll just go &…see how they're getting along." He said.

Luiz nodded. "You got it. C'mon then." He turned in their direction, but Rafael hesitated. He couldn't speak frankly to the 2 if Luiz was there too, but he couldn't think of a good excuse to stop him from coming. Noticing that Rafael wasn't following him, Luiz turned back, with a slightly puzzled frown. "Ralfi? Somethin' wrong?"

He'd just have to tread carefully. Rafael decided quickly. "Oh, it's nothing Buddy. Sorry. I'm coming." He moved to follow Luiz, & the Bulldog's frown evaporated as the 2 moved towards Ana & Jules.

As they came into hearing range, Jules was saying: "…yes, very good! Now, how much do you remember of the numbers?"

Ana frowned with concentration. "Right ok…it starts with…Um, Dois, Tres, Quatro, Cinco…Seis?" Jules gave an encouraging nod. "Then it's Sete… Oito, &…Nov?"

"Nove." Jules corrected. "But that's really good Ana. You're picking it up…" He broke off here as he noticed Rafael's & Luiz's approach. "Hey guys."

"Hey Jules, Ana." Rafael nodded to them both, but his interest was piqued. "Are you teaching Ana Portuguese Jules?"

"Just some beginner phrases." Jules answered. "Ana expressed an interest in learning, & since I speak it pretty fluently, I can give her some pointers."

Rafael smiled. "Isso é muito gentil da sua parte."

Jules smiled back. "Obrigado." He went on. "Hopefully, if we do keep in touch, we can keep it up. Even if…" He paused briefly, glancing at Luiz. "You know…things change." He finished awkwardly.

Seemingly oblivious to the slight air of constraint that had crept into Jules' manner, Luiz waded in. "So Jules, I noticed you were getting' into the beat earlier? It really gets under your fur…or in your case feathers, right?" Luiz asked.

"Yes, it sure does." Jules replied. "It's like it's…in the DNA, or something."

Rafael raised his eye ridges. "Yeah…I guess you could put it like that. We prefer to think of it as feeling it in your Heart, though." He gave Jules an appraising look. "You've never felt this kind of thing before?"

"No." Jules answered. "I suppose it's because I've never been…in this kind of situation before."

A knowing look passed over Luiz's face. "Ah. I gotcha measure, now buddy." Nico said. "You're just like Blu right? You were brought up away from other Birds & Bird stuff?"

Jules paused fractionally, but then said: "Yes. You could definitely say that I…& well, Linda & Tulio as well, haven't been raised like other Birds." Ana & Rafael exchanged a sidelong look.

"I thought so. But hey, that's nothing to be ashamed of Pal." Luiz said reassuringly. "Blu was a pet…oh, sorry Ralfi, I forget you guys don't like that word…Companion, & he's fitted in just fine."

"Oh yes. He certainly seems happy here." Jules said as he glanced across at the clearing at him.

"For real." Luiz said. "Oh for sure, he needed a bit of the guy's help at first to help him loosen up, but they knew right from the start how he & Jewel were perfect for each other. We think you 2 are too."

Rafael winced slightly at this, but in his typical straightforward manner Luiz had gotten right to the point. The issue had finally been brought up & he could see how the two reacted. Ana eyes widened, but Rafael noted, she looked more concerned than anything as her gaze flicked towards Jules. Jules himself however, gave the Bulldog a surprised look. "What? Me &…" He looked at Ana, back at them & then back at Ana.

A wide smile spread across Jules' beak as understanding appeared to dawn. "…Oh! Oh, no, no, I think there's been a misunderstanding here." He said as he half-raised his wings & waved them placatingly as he shook his head. "Ana & I aren't on those terms. We're just friends. Right Ana?"

"Yes, yes, that's quite right." Ana agreed quickly, but Rafael noted, with a faint note of relief in her voice.

Luiz looked surprised. "Oh, for reals? Oh…sorry. But ya know…I just thought…I mean, I kinda assumed…"

"Quite all right Luiz." Jules said soothingly. "I suppose it was a natural conclusion to jump to, but we really are just friends. We don't have those kind of feelings for each other."

"That's nice to hear Jules." Rafael said as he relaxed slightly. So that was that. Jules' surprise at & then casual dismissal of the idea of him & Ana being involved seem to indicate that the subject hadn't even crossed his mind (though it looked like it might have crossed Ana's) & he gave no weight to it at all. This rendered the tricky situation that might have arisen otherwise & he'd have to deal with completely moot.

"Yes, well, like I was saying, we hope to stay in touch after me & my friends have sorted out this issue of ours, & if she wants she can be involved in our activities." Jules then turned to Ana to address her directly. "Does that sound good to you Ana? I can tell you all about the things I know, & maybe you can do the same."

"It sounds lovely Jules. The stuff you've already told me about is intriguing, & I've always been willing to learn. You know, life in the Jungle can be kind of boring…Oh, sorry." She stopped & apologized to Rafael.

"That's all right Ana." Rafael said to her. He eyed her appraisingly. "You've always had an inquiring mind about many things haven't you? But you've just not had the chance to indulge it, & I haven't been able to help much. Maybe Jules can."

"Ana certainly seems to be a fast learner." Jules said appreciatively. "And I'd be love to be able to help her stretch her wings…err,…you know, I mean metaphorically…intellectually." He corrected himself.

"I'm glad to hear it Jules." However, he then gave the Human-turned-Macaw a stern look. "Be sure to keep her safe though mind you. You mustn't forget that she needs to be able to stay away from Humans. I'm sure you're aware of how dangerous things can be outside this Protected Area for a Bird like her…& yourself of course." He added quickly for Luiz' benefit.

Jules raised his eye ridges & nodded slowly as he appeared to catch Rafael's drift. "Well, sure…of course. Sad to say, most Humans can't be trusted, especially in groups. The ones like Blu's friends are more likely to be the exception than the rule…& it would be far too difficult to try to isolate the few who could be trusted right? The kind who would swear on everything they hold most dear that they would never, ever, do anything to harm a fine Bird like Ana…or myself, as you say."

Rafael held Jules' gaze steadily for a moment. "…Yeah Amigo, exactly." He said finally.

"Come now Boys." Ana broke in. She went on half-humorously: "I'm hardly a delicate flower. I can take care of myself."

Luiz spoke up. "Ralfi has a point though Ana." He looked a little down. "Old J treats me right, but I've seen it round' & heard some stories. Some Humans can be downright _mean_ to us Furry & Feathered guys, & that's not to mention the headache it brings up if you're worth money to em, like Blu & Jewel." He glanced at Jules. "You uh…had some experience on that score, buddy?"

Again, Jules gave that fractional pause. "I've had some dealings with Humans. Fortunately, nothing like that. Some are good, some aren't. The trick is telling them apart."

"A trick that it is dangerous to us to attempt to learn." Rafael said. "A Human would have to prove themselves trustworthy before a Bird like Blu, Jewel or Ana should go anywhere near them. The same would mostly hold true for an outsider showing up in the jungle, much like you, but I think I can say with authority that we can trust you & your friends…Jules."

He & Jules locked gazes again. "Thank you…Rafael." Jules said after a moment. "I will make sure that you see that your trust is not misplaced."

"That's the spirit, Amigo." Rafael said cheerfully. "I'm glad we had this little chat, & I hope you continue to enjoy the festivities. The guys will be kicking off the second set soon."

Jules nodded. "Ah, right, well, in that case you guys will need to excuse me for a short while. I need to uh…you know, go take care of something. Must be all that Juice I was drinking."

The others nodded as they caught his meaning. "You know the way Amigo?" Rafael asked. "There are set areas for that. It's not like a cage that's cleaned for us out here."

"Oh yes. We asked Blu & Jewel about it earlier." Jules responded. "It's very nicely organized, if I may say so. I know where the closest one is & I shouldn't be long."

"Hope not." Rafael said. "Believe me Amigo, you don't want to miss any more of my Buddies performance than you can help."

"You got it." Jules then turned & taking a few steps away, spread his wings & took off through the canopy.

After he had disappeared from sight, Luiz spoke up: "He's an odd one aint he? But I like him. We could do with more clever Birds like him around."

Rafael & Ana exchanged looks. "Well, we'll see Amigo. I quite like him too, but we'll see whether or not he can sort out that issue that's been bothering him first. If he can…well, I'm sure we'll see more of him."

Luiz sighed. "I hope so Ralfi. I wonder what he's so hung up on anyways? Can't a Bird like him just kick back a little & enjoy life?"

Rafael shrugged. He really wished he could enlighten Luiz. It hurt him to keep things from one of his oldest friends, but now was not the time. "He has a lot on his mind Amigo. Maybe he'll lighten up in time."

"Hope so." Luiz agreed. He nudged Ana. "Maybe the 2 of you could lighten up together eh Ana? Even if you're not close ya know…like that, you could still spend time together eh? I think its swell you have a friend you seem to get on so well with."

Ana shrugged. "He's considerate & smart & willing to share his knowledge. I think pretty much anyone could get along with him."

"True." Luiz conceded. He then gave Ana a sidelong look however. "Except, well ya know, he & Juan probably wouldn't have much in common…"

"And a good thing too." Ana said in a faintly icy tone.

Rafael gave her a mildly surprised look. He was about to ask her the meaning of that comment, when they saw Diego approaching them through the crowd. The Tall Spoonbill was hard to miss amongst all the smaller Birds.

"Hey guys!" He called as he approached. "How's it going? Everything seems to be going swimmingly right?"

"Hey Diego." Rafael greeted him, Ana & Luiz adding their own 'Hi's' too. "Yes, it all seems to be working out & everyone's having a good time."

"You know it." Diego said. "And it's not over yet either. There's still the second set, & after that once the guys with young chicks head off to tuck them into their nests, the guys have a more romantic line up for the remaining adults for the last set. That sound good to…" he turned his gaze on Ana, but then seemed slightly taken aback & glanced around quickly. "…Oh…hey Ana, where'd your friend go? He hasn't left already has he?"

Now that he was on firmer branches about the nature of Ana & Jules' relationship (or more accurately, the lack thereof) Rafael took charge to answer Diego's well-meant but misguided attempt at matchmaking. He was probably going to have to do this a lot, he mused. "Oh no Amigo, he just had to go & use the little Macaw's room, if you know what I mean. He's shouldn't be long…" He paused briefly as Diego looked relieved, but then continued before the Spoonbill could say anything further: "…but we have managed to clear up a little something. Ana & Jules definitely don't have that kind of a relationship. They really are just friends."

"That's right." Ana confirmed.

Diego raised his eye ridges, but then nodded slowly. "Oh, right. Sure thing. Sorry to jump to conclusions. You guys have only just met after all. No need to rush into anything right?"

"No." Ana said. "But I'm pretty sure we won't move beyond friends. We get along well…but we're not really each other's type. Right Rafael?"

"Right." Rafael echoed firmly.

Luiz looked a little down. "Oh, right. So…that means you won't wanna dance with him later then Ana? Pretty much everyone else will be doin' that ya know…" but Luiz suddenly stopped, looking startled & with his ears pricking up. Before the others could ask him what was wrong, he suddenly jumped to all 4 paws & dashed off, yelling at them. "Quick! Follow me!"

Taken completely by surprise, it took a few seconds for Rafael, Diego & Ana to respond. They gave each other a surprised look, but then quickly spread their wings & flew off, following after the Bulldog as he dashed off through the Jungle.

* * *

After completing his hygienic activity & on his way back to the meeting area, Jules briefly stopped off at the pond a short distance away from the meeting area to freshen up, using one of his wing feathers to scoop up a little water to rub in his face. He then paused for a moment to look at himself in the settling surface of the pool. His plumage was beginning to look a little scruffy, he mused. He would probably need to engage in a little preening work before too long, but right now he needed to get back to the meeting area.

He turned & took a few steps away from the pond, beginning to spread his wings in preparation to fly the short distance back to the meeting area where the party was being held. Before he could take off however, he heard the sound of motion behind him, & though he spun round quickly he only managed to get a brief glimpse of a red, yellow & blue blur headed straight for him, before it slammed into him, causing to give a startled involuntary 'Awk!' as it bowled him off of his claws & pinned him down onto the jungle floor.

Panicked thoughts flashed through his head. Had he made a terrible mistake? Had he been lulled into a false sense of security by the pleasant time he had been having & forgotten that he was in fact a largely defenceless Macaw in the middle of a Jungle & should be careful? In spite of the Centre's efforts Predators had been known to slip into the Protected Area. Was he now going to be torn apart & devoured by one, trapping Linda & Tulio in their Bird forms for the rest of their lives & burying his research?

As he recovered from the impact, he opened one eye & focussed on his assailant, who was pinning him down firmly. He was surprised to discover however, that it wasn't a normally predatory species such as a Hawk, Falcon or Kite, but was in fact another Male Scarlet Macaw. The look on this Bird's face however, was anything but friendly.

"Got you, you _usurper_." The Macaw said, sounding quite angry.

With the Macaw holding him down & with one of his claws pressing on his throat, the only response Jules could manage was a sound that sounded like "Glurk?"

"Now you listen & you listen good." The Macaw said still in that low, angry voice. "I don't know who you think you are, but she is _mine_ understand? Mine! And no interloper is going to fly in here & take her away from me!"

Jules managed to draw sufficient breath to say in a choked voice: "…what're you…talking about?"

The other Macaw leaned forward threateningly. "Don't play dumb with me! You know exactly what I'm talking about! I saw you trying to cosy up to her & turn her head! Well, you can forget it! I'm not going to let you take her away from me! I'm the only one for her understand? So you had just better…"

The other Macaw's ranting was abruptly interrupted however. He looked up sharply at a sudden rustling in the bushes & then Luiz burst through the foliage. He skidded to a halt right in front of them. His fierce look changed to one of surprise as he recognized Jules' assailant.

"Juan?" he said. "What'ya doin'? Get offa him right now!"

Juan quickly released Jules throat & jumped back off of him, allowing Jules to take a deep breath & start getting back up onto his claws.

"Oh!...Uh…Luiz! So…nice to see you…me &…& my friend here were….just having a nice…nice friendly chat." Juan said.

Luiz gave him a sharp look. "Didn't look too friendly too me, buddy. These ears o' mine heard a scuffle & Jules' yelp, & from the looks o' things it's a good thing I did! You ok Jules?"

Jules had made it back up onto his claws & was gently rubbing his neck with the edge of one wing. "…yes…yes, I'm fine Luiz, thank you." he managed. He transferred his attention to the other Macaw. "So…Juan is it? Why did you attack me?"

Juan looked extremely shifty. "Now…c'mon now…you mustn't take my…my unique greeting style the wrong way. I was simply trying to…to…"

At this moment however, Diego, Rafael & Ana suddenly made an appearance, flying in from over the bushes Luiz had burst through.

"Luiz!" Rafael called as they swooped in to land. "What's the matter Amigo? Why'd…" he suddenly noticed Juan & Jules. "…hey what's going on? I thought you said you weren't coming Juan? You change your mind?" He shifted his attention to Jules & frowned: "Hey, why you all messed up Amigo? You trip or something?"

"Juan was tryin' to throttle Jules." Luiz said bluntly. Diego, Rafael's & Ana's eyes all widened. "I heard him knock him down & that's why I took off."

Rafael stared at Juan. "Is that true Juan?" He asked him. "Did you attack Jules?"

"No! no, no, this is…is…all just a misunderstanding." Juan said, his eyes darting rapidly around. "I was…I just wanted to have a talk with him."

"And you thought standing on my throat would be the best way to keep my attention?" Jules spoke up. "And what was all that about you were saying about 'usurper' & 'interloper' & not letting me take someone away from you?..."

Juan looked cornered, & an expression of realisation, followed swiftly by gathering anger, was visible on Ana's face. Juan then evidently decided to drop the pretence. "Fine, yes, I tackled you, but only to protect my Girl! I knew something was off with how she was acting earlier, & although she denied it at the time, I later realized you may have tricked her into coming along to this little party."

Jules eye ridges rose. "'Your Girl? Tricked?'" he echoed, but as he glanced between Juan & Ana, understanding dawned & his eyes widened. "Oh! You thought…oh no, no, there's that misunderstanding again." He said placatingly, raising his wings & smiling. "Me & Ana aren't…" he began, but he was interrupted. Ana had stalked up to stand right next to him but was ignoring him to glare at Juan.

"For the last time Juan, I am _not_ your Girl." She said in a low, angry voice. "I also decide for myself where I go & with whom, understand?"

"Oh, Come on Ana, you can't want this guy surely!" Juan exclaimed. "What kind of alternative is he to me? I'm sure your parents would agree if they…"

"DON'T YOU _EVER_ BRING THEM UP, YOU ARROGANT WASTE OF FEATHERS!" Ana screeched at the top of her lungs, causing everyone (especially Juan) to jerk backwards, startled. Jules could see that Ana's Temper had been slowly rising like with a Temperature gauge, but this one remark by Juan had suddenly shot the needle to the top of the red & cracked the glass.

"I'm…I'm sorry Darling. I…I was just…" Juan stammered out, but Ana stalked right up to him & began jabbing his breast with her wing feather, causing him to back up away from her as she jabbed home each point.

"Don't you 'Darling' me either!" she said, still sounding furious, but not screeching anymore. "I've had it with you calling me that! I've had it with you! I've had it with having to put with seeing your stupid face & having to listen to your vacuous, narcissistic & deluded comments!"

Juan tried to rally. "Oh come…come now Ana, you can't…" he began feebly, but Ana cut him off

"Shut up!" She exclaimed. "I don't want to hear it, understand? I don't want to hear anything you have to say ever again! I just want you to try & get this information through your thick head." She began advancing on him again, still jabbing at his breast with her wing feather & forcing him to keep on backing up away from her. "_I don't like you_. I've _never_ liked you, & I never _will_ like you. Understand? My new friend has nothing to do with it! I can't _stand_ you, & I don't want you to bother me or him _ever_ again. _Don't_ come round to my hollow; _don't_ bother me while I'm out & _above all_…" upon this last statement Juan had backed up one more time & flattened himself against a Tree trunk & Ana leaned closer, that furious look on her face again & causing Juan to shrink back & down away from her. "_Don't you ever bring up my Parents again_." She hissed. "You aren't _fit_ to have that subject on your beak, understand? Got that though your thick skull?" Juan merely nodded dumbly, cowed by her fury. "Good. Now, _Get Lost_."

She backed up, allowing Juan to stumble out from his crouched position & still shrinking from her glare; he gave just one frightened look at the others before quickly spreading his wings & taking off.

As he disappeared at speed through the tree canopy, Ana turned & saw the shocked looks Luiz, Rafael, Diego & Jules were giving her. Her anger appeared to abate, & as began to calm down she looked apologetic. "…Guys…I'm…sorry about that. Guess I lost my temper a little."

A _Little?_ Jules thought. It looked like to Ana, family was a _very_ sensitive subject. And yet earlier she had appeared ready to talk to him about it… Jules put this intriguing consideration to one side as Rafael moved forward & gently put one wing on Ana's shoulder.

"It's all right Ana." He said gently. "He should've known that subject was out of bounds, but I think we now know just how much we've misjudged that guy." He sighed. "I'm just sorry it went this far. I never thought he'd be so jealous." He looked up at Jules. "You OK Amigo?"

"I'm fine." Jules said. "Thanks to Luiz here." He added glancing up at the Bulldog, who grinned proudly.

"I really can't imagine he'd have actually tried to hurt you Jules." Diego spoke up. "He probably just thought he could intimidate you, or something."

"Probably." Rafael acknowledged. "Thinking things out was never his strong point." He looked at Ana. "That kind of behaviour is unacceptable however." He said firmly. "We'll spread the word that he's not to be allowed near either of you. Though I think you've made the extent of his mistake perfectly clear."

Ana shook her head. "It won't stick." She said pessimistically.

"We'll _make_ it stick." Diego said firmly. "It's like I always say, 'you mess with my friends, you mess with me.' We Birds need to stick together, & that kind of behaviour from one to another is _totally_ out of order."

Jules looked slightly uncomfortable. "Well, thanks Diego, I…really appreciate the sentiment. Perhaps we should be getting back though."

Rafael, Diego & Luiz nodded in agreement, & turned towards the meeting area. After a few steps though & beginning to spread his wings again, Jules glanced back to see that Ana wasn't following them. "Ana?"

Ana shook her head & sighed. "Guys…I'm sorry, but…this encounter has killed my enthusiasm for partying. I think I'll sit the rest of this out. I hope you understand."

Rafael looked sympathetic. He turned back to face her. "Hey Ana, its ok. We know this kind of thing isn't really your scene. I'm glad you came for as long as you did though."

She shrugged. "I admit, it was fun. Perhaps someday…" she trailed off.

Rafael nodded, & looked at Luiz & Diego, who looked faintly pleased with Ana's acknowledgement of her enjoyment of the party. "Yes, perhaps." He said. He went on: "So, uh, if you don't' mind me asking, what are you going to do? Go home?"

Ana shrugged again. "Maybe. I don't know. I may do a bit of flying before sundown, or go back to my hollow & read, I'm not sure. I'll find something to do."

Looking sympathetically at her, a light went off in Jules' head. "Hey, err Ana?" She looked up at him. "Come to think of it, I think I'll sit out the rest of the activities too. I'll be going back to the hollow where Tulio, Linda & myself will be spending the night so I can clean up a little…" he indicated the slightly messy state his encounter with Juan had left his plumage in. "…but then, I had intended to check out that gadget we brought back from the city. You remember? The one you found interesting? Perhaps you'd like to check it out too? Totally up to you though of course."

Ana raised her eye ridges. "Ah…yes, the small version of that touch computer." She said thoughtfully, her mood seeming to lift slightly.

Luiz, Diego & Rafael looked surprised. "A small touch computer?" Luiz asked. "Ya mean…one of those iThings that a lot of Humans use?"

"Yes." Jules confirmed. "We found one that had been dropped but was still working. Ana found it very interesting, so we brought it back with us so she could try it out more. I happen to know a lot about how they work, so I was thinking…if Ana wants to of course…showing her all the kinds of things it can do. It has books on it, for one thing."

Ana stared at him. "Books?" she echoed. "Real books?"

"Oh yes." Jules confirmed. "A whole Library of them, not to mention all the other things it can do." Although Ana had been interested enough in the device to begin with, 'Books' was apparently the magic word.

But Diego & Luiz looked mildly concerned. "Hey, err…Buddy, that sounds really great…" Diego said to Jules: "…but are you really sure it's abandoned? Those things can be really tricky & dangerous for us to mess with. What if someone tries calling it or something?"

"We set it to Airplane mode." Jules said smoothly. "No wireless communications. Just the non-network apps on the device useable, plus it conserves the battery." He avoided mentioning that they would be connecting back to the network later to check Tulio's e-mail, as it was his own phone.

Luiz & Diego looked relieved. "Oh…right." Luiz spoke up. "I guess you know what you're doin' with it then, if you know what all those weird words mean."

"Yeah, you seem to have it under control." Diego said. He gave Jules a gentle nudge. "Bet it'd be really weird for someone to call & hear a Macaw on the other end right?" He laughed, & the others joined in.

"Yeah so… what do you think Ana?" Rafael got them back on track. "I told you Jules might be able help you indulge that inquiring mind of yours, & I can't think of anything that would do that more than one of those gadgets that so many Humans carry around with them."

Ana paused briefly, but then smiled at the group. "Yes, I would like that very much."

Rafael nodded at her & Jules. "Then that's settled. Why don't we head straight there to drop you 2 off, & then it's just a short hop to the clearing where the party is. Also…if you don't mind guys, I'll stop by again later after the party when Linda & Tulio are there too. I just want to check in with you guys you know, make sure you have everything you need for the night & what you're plans for tomorrow are."

"Sounds good to me." Jules said affably. "I'm sure we'll be ok just for tonight though."

"I would think so, but as I said, it's mostly to check in with you guys." Rafael said. He gave Jules a meaningful look. "I'm very interested in what you think about it all, you know, everything around here, how it effects your plans, like what we we're talking about earlier". Jules gave him a sober nod.

"Well c'mon then guys!" Luiz said enthusiastically: "Let's get moving! The guys will be kicking off the second set any minute now. I'm sure they'll be a bit down about you 2 not coming back, but we'll explain bout Juan."

Jules & Ana nodded, & with a glance to the others indicated their readiness to go. The group turned in the direction of the tree that Linda, Tulio & Jules were using as a temporary home, & opening their wings they all took off towards it.


	13. Chapter 13

**Still busy with other stuff, but this story continues to simmer away in the back of my mind. I will get to that distant land called "ending" that I can clearly see, but am just not sure how long it will take me to reach.**

**Disclaimer: Just to clear some things up, I don't own Rio & I have not been invaded by an alien intelligence from the planet Jurun-4. I can't imagine how you Humans get such ideas into your soft squishy heads.**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

"It's wonderful isn't it?" Linda said softly.

Tulio glanced at her. The 2 of them were observing the party from the side-lines, while waiting for the second set to kick off. He knew what she was talking about. "Yes. Absolutely." He glanced around, making sure none of the other Birds were in earshot, but lowered his voice nonetheless. "And to think, I call myself a Bird expert, but this whole world existed right under my nose without me seeing it."

"Not just your nose." Linda answered, matching his low tones. "This whole fascinating & wonderful society has been kept under wraps from all Humans. But you can see why right?"

"Oh, of course." Tulio answered seriously. "I completely understand why Birds would want to keep all this quiet. It's much better for them to act like they do around Humans, making them think that they don't understand them. If people knew, they would want to interfere or take advantage, neither of which I approve of so I'll be keeping my beak…err, I mean mouth, shut too."

"We all will." Linda agreed seriously. "No matter what Jules does with this discovery, we will make sure that it's not abused, & by extension, this world that Blu is now happily part of with his family." She paused, looking across the clearing at the Birds they had just mentioned. She gave a happy sigh. "I'm glad it gave me this chance to talk to them though. Even if we are never like this again, we got to interact with them & their world through these forms, even though they're not what we truly are."

Tulio nodded, but a little absently. A thoughtful look was gathering on his face. Linda glanced at him & noticed it. "Tulio?" she asked. "Is something wrong?"

Tulio roused himself from his abstraction. "Oh, no, no. I just had an interesting consideration running through my head about what you just said, but this isn't really the place to discuss it." He added as he glanced around at the activity. "I'll tell you about it later, preferably once we've met back up with Jules. Though, he may not have a definite answer either. I think it's worth discussing though."

Linda raised her eye ridges, but just nodded. "Ok then." She then craned her head up, attempting to see over the crowd in the clearing. "Speaking of Jules though, do you know where he's got off too? I thought he was over there…" she nodded towards one of the edges of the clearing. "But I can't see him. Can you?"

Tulio joined her in stretching his neck up & scanning the crowd of Birds. He came up empty too. "No, I can't see him." He frowned. "I hope he hasn't wandered too far. I agree with what Rafael said earlier about sticking too close together, but we do still need to keep tabs on each other. He's our only way back, after all."

They continued scanning the crowd looking slightly worried. Linda began to wonder who they could ask where Jules had gone, but before she could decide Nico, Pedro & the others up on stage had apparently noticed the absence of another Bird who should be there.

"Hey everyone, we're about ready…but I don't see Ralfi anywhere?" Nico called out.

There was a general wave of turning heads & murmuring as the assembled Birds looked around for the absent Toucan. Heads naturally turned in Eva's direction.

"Hey, last I saw he was going around making sure everyone was enjoying themselves." She answered the questioning glances. "I have no idea where he's run off too now."

A Parakeet perched on a low branch at the edge of the clearing raised his wing. "Hey guys?" He called. The group looked up at him. "I saw him talking to Luiz, Diego, Ana & Jules over there..." He indicated with his wing feather a spot just to the left of the clearing. "…but they all suddenly flew off a few minutes ago."

Tulio gave a sidelong look at Linda at this, but she just shrugged her wings slightly.

Nico looked a little put out. "Huh. Well, we don't want them to miss out but we do have a schedule to keep, right?" He pointed up at the sky, where the light was beginning to turn golden as the sun sank lower.

Pedro raised his voice & addressed the crowd too. "Hey, you guys don't mind waiting another minute or 2 do you?" There was a general murmur of agreement. "Fantastic. You guys are the best. If it takes longer than that we'll just have to go ahead. I know some of you have a ways to go to get home &…"

At this moment however, Rafael & Diego came into view at the edge of the clearing, flying through the Jungle Canopy. Luiz also came running along the jungle floor beneath them.

"Guys!" Nico called. He fluttered quickly off of the rock & intercepted them as they landed by & trotted up to the edge of the crowd, not far from where Linda & Tulio were looking on. "Where have you been? We were afraid we were going to have to start without you!" He said with relief, but then frowned as he glanced behind them. "Hey, where's Ana? And Jules? Weren't they with you?"

Hearing this, Tulio exchanged a quick look with Linda & the 2 of them began to move closer. Anything that involved Jules involved them.

"Yeah, sorry about running off Amigo's, but there was a little incident we had to deal with." Rafael was addressing the loose semicircle of interested Birds forming in front of him. "Oh, hey guys." He added as he noticed Linda & Tulio joining the throng. "Yeah, you'd better know about this too." He paused for a moment & then began: "Well you see, Jules had…an encounter with an old acquaintance of Ana's called Juan. I'm sad to say that he…well, he ambushed Jules. He swooped down on him & was holding him down while making threats."

Linda & Tulio as well as the other Birds who were listening in looked taken aback & there were a few shocked murmurs. Rafael forestalled the immediate question that rose to Linda's Beak however. "He's OK though!" The Toucan reassured them quickly. "Luiz here heard what was going on & dashed off to the rescue, & when we got there Juan backed off. He tried to give excuses, but we quickly discovered he had jumped him because he was jealous of Ana being friends with Jules & was trying to scare him off."

The Murmurs rose again, shock, disgust, condemnation of such an act. They quietened down as Rafael spoke again: "Yes, I know. Such behaviour is _completely_ unacceptable. He still tried to justify himself, but he…well, he brought up Ana's parents to her face…& she kinda…lost her temper." He said heavily.

Linda heard a sharp indrawing of breath, & glancing to her side she noticed Carol & her family. Carol had a distressed look on her face & she exchanged a worried look with Felipe.

Rafael continued. "She told him off in no uncertain terms & made it _very_ clear that she didn't want to discuss that subject. She further went on to say that she never wanted to see him again…& I must say guys…I agree. I thought maybe the 2 of them would be a good match for each other, but I had no idea how jealous he would be at the mere _thought_ of competition, even though Jules & Ana don't have that kind of relationship & are just friends. I think we need to watch out for her going forward OK guys? Jules is heading off tomorrow, but that kind of selfish & possessive attitude has no place around a nice Girl like Ana." He then appealed to the group with spread wings. "You guys don't mind keeping an eye out to make sure Juan stays away from her do you? At least for the time being?"

There was a general murmur of agreement & nodding of heads, & Nico then spoke for the group. "Yeah Ralfi, that's no trouble. Hey, we knew that guy was a bit full of himself, but that? _Right_ out of order. Right guys?" The Birds surrounded them nodded seriously, & Nico then went on: "But where are Jules & Ana then Ralfi? You said he wasn't hurt, so...?" he trailed off.

"Yes, right. Well, after Ana kind of blew her top & sent Juan packing, as she began to cool down she said that her enthusiasm for partying had been kinda drained." Rafael said. "You all know her though guys, she never was much for it to begin with. I'm glad she attended the first set & she definitely seemed to be thawing on the whole scene, I just hope this little setback doesn't undo that."

There was a faint lightening of expressions from the group at the news that Ana had been starting to enjoy herself at the activities. Linda noted Carol exchanging a relieved smile with Felipe.

Rafael went on: "I'm sorry to say though guys, she felt she needed to bow out of the rest of the night. I hope you understand. I don't think we should try & push her too hard. That definitely might undo the small progress we've achieved."

Nico & Pedro exchanged sad but understanding looks. Nico then said: "Hey, its ok Ralfi. It's a bit of downer that she'll miss the rest of our performance, but hey, there's' always another time right?" He finished with a good-natured smile.

Rafael looked relieved. "I knew you guys would understand." He addressed the group in general again. "She had planned to go back to her hollow & do some reading, you guys know how much she likes that, but Jules offered an alternative. He was going to bow out too & return to his, Linda & Tulio's temporary hollow to clean up the slightly messy state Juan had left his plumage in after pushing him into the dirt, but he mentioned that he'd managed to get his claws on an abandoned Smartphone & offered to show her how to use it, specifically, the Library of books it contains." He met Linda & Tulio's gazes as he said this, & the two exchanged a sideways glance. "I thought that was a nice gesture on Jules part, as it certainly seemed to lift her spirits. Books & Technology all in one? She's always been curious about that stuff."

Nico & Pedro looked pleased. "Oh, absolutely Ralfi!" Pedro said. "We know she's always liked that stuff." He shrugged his wings. "Hey, not the kind of thing I'd use to romance a pretty lady, but to each their own right?"

Rafael's smile faltered. "…Err…guys, I'm sure that wasn't what he had in mind. Like I said, he…" He began but he was interrupted by a friendly nudge from Luiz.

"Hey, Ralfi, I know what he said…but c'mon, even if he doesn't _like_ like her, you can't deny he's much better company for her than Juan right?" The Bulldog said. "They seem to get along so well with all that smart stuff, & spending time together they just might get closer. That'll be good for Ana right?" Diego nodded in agreement.

Linda caught the briefest flash of an exasperated expression on Rafael's face, but he rapidly composed himself. He smiled affably & said: "Yeah Amigos, you're probably right. But Hey! Time's getting on right?" He spread his wings wide with another smile. "How about we get this party back on schedule. We don't want to hold up the families who have to leave earlier to get home before sundown. You guys ready?"

"Oh sure Ralfi, you're right." Nico turned back to the crowd of Birds around them. "You heard the King guys! Round 2!" A cheer rose from the group as Nico, Pedro & their backing singers made their way back to the stage. The audience around Rafael began to disperse back into the clearing, but as Rafael himself made his way back to his family he paused right by Linda & Tulio.

"Guys, you OK to stick around?" he asked them in a low voice. "I assure you that Jules is fine, but if want to go back to check on him…" He paused expectantly.

Linda exchanged a look with Tulio. "You say he's physically fine, but as to what Luiz was saying about him &…" Tulio began.

"I'm _certain_ he's wrong Amigo." Rafael hastened to reassure them. "They both said when Luiz brought it up in front of them that they don't feel that way…which I'm sure you're as much relieved at as I am. But still, if you want…"

At this moment however Rafael was interrupted. "Are you coming or what?" Eva's voice rang out behind him.

Rafael turned to address her. "Coming my love! Just a moment!" he called. He turned back to Linda & Tulio & questioned them with raised eye ridges.

Tulio made a snap decision. "We'll stay just for this set, Rafael. Then we'll go back to the hollow. OK?" He said.

"Right. Until later then guys, enjoy!" Rafael hurried off in Eva's direction. Linda & Tulio then made their way back to the side-lines & watched as the group prepared to start the singing again. Tulio opened his beak, but Linda quickly shushed him by holding up one of her wing feathers against it. "Not right now Tulio. Let's just enjoy this, & then we'll talk to Jules & Ana themselves back at the hollow, & sort out…whatever needs sorting out." Tulio closed his Beak again & gave her a brief nod.

* * *

_'…But the Captain held his peace that evening, & for many evenings to come.'_ Ana finished reading the chapter, & looked up from the story she had been absorbed in to see that Jules was examining the plumage, turning his head this way & that to check the results of his Preening activity. After returning to the Hollow & Jules showing her how to work the 'Kindle' function of the iPhone, Ana's eyes had widened at seeing this Library of Books spread out before her, & seeing her enthusiasm, Jules had left her to enjoy herself as he returned to the hollow entrance & proceeded to use the light to see where he needed to use his Beak & Claws to clean & straighten out his feathers.

The thought had crossed Ana's mind to offer to assist him, but like earlier when she had held her tongue when was speculating about a place he could spend the night she thought better of it. Flicking bits of Mango off of his face earlier was one thing, but Preening was a much more intimate affair & she didn't want any more misunderstandings about the nature of their friendship from onlookers. It was a relief to her that he had so casually brushed aside Luiz's comments earlier. Them being seen that way had obviously never even crossed his mind.

He looked up & noticed her gaze on him. "Hey Ana. How am I doing?" he asked.

She took in his much neater-looking appearance. "Very well done for a beginner Jules. You look good." she said.

Jules looked faintly pleased. "Thanks Ana. I knew I could do at least a passable job. I know how it works & I've seen real birds do it enough times." He examined his plumage again. "Good enough for now I think. I really needed that after my repeated appointments with the floor today, especially when…" He caught himself & gave her a slightly uncertain look. "…well, you know."

She smiled at him. "Don't worry; I'm not going to explode like that again. He just…hit a nerve, that's all. I'm fine now."

"Oh…good." Jules said looking relieved. He gave his plumage one more look over & seemingly satisfied, he then folded his wings back up & walked over to stand next to her & half-raised his wing to indicate Tulio's iPhone, propped up against the inside of the tree in front of her. "How are you getting along?"

"Oh, it's absolutely wonderful." She said appreciatively. "You were right…there are dozens of books stored inside this device. I found some stories I already know, but there are so many more."

"I thought you'd like it." He examined the text on the screen. "…_catch a breath of complaint_…ah, I know this one. Treasure Island, right?"

"Yes. From the same author of another of my favourite stories, Jekyll & Hyde. But this device seems to have all his stories?"

"Oh yes." Jules confirmed. "And not just him, loads of classic authors. You can have entire Libraries of Books stored in a device like this & they'll hardly make a dent in the memory. You could have the entire works of Charles Dickens or all of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Homes stories. Are you familiar with those Authors?"

"Yes." She admitted. "Or at least, some of it. You see, back at my hollow I…" At this moment however, the sound of distant music came from outside.

Jules & Ana listened as the sounds of the music filtered though from outside. The clearing the party was being held in was a couple of yards distant from the tree, enough to hide it from sight but close enough that the sound of the music carried relatively clearly. As they listened, they heard Nico & Pedro begin to sing.

"Hmm, another one I haven't heard before." Jules said as he listened. "Sounds like a fitting theme for them though. I really do get the feeling those guys live to Party & Samba." He paused as he listened further. "They're really putting their hearts into it." He said approvingly.

"Yeah…" Ana said. "They are really good, but like I said, That…_Jerk_…killed my enthusiasm." There was an edge in her voice as she described the other Macaw, but then she turned her gaze back on the iPhone, still displaying the text of the story. It reminded her of what she had been saying. "Anyway, like I saying, I have some books back at my hollow. Just some little ones that are each a classic story from a famous author. They're how I learned to read."

Jules looked intrigued. "Small books you say? He held out his wings in front of him & used his primary feathers to frame a small rectangle in the air. "Are they about…this big, with Hardback covers?" He asked.

"Why…yes." Ana said, faintly surprised that Jules knew of them.

A contented smile spread over Jules face as he gazed at some memory Ana couldn't see. "The _Miniature Classics_ range." He said dreamily. "The greatest works of Literature collected in a compact form. I collected them all years ago. I loved how they were compact, beautiful & yet readable all at the same time. Oh, for sure it's mostly all eBooks nowadays, but I've always loved the feel of Hardback book & would have liked to have my own library someday. Of course, that was before my research took up so much of my available time & space, but I always made a place for that lovely little wooden storage & display case." He roused himself from his abstraction & fixed Ana with an interested look. "And you learned to read from them you say?"

"Yes." She answered, but once again, didn't go into detail. "I don't have many of them, just 6 books, but they're all wonderful stories I enjoy reading."

Jules looked pleased. "I'm glad of that. But there are a lot more than 6 Ana. There are dozens, & in fact, Treasure Island is one of them." He gestured to the iPhone again, whose screen had gone dark from inactivity. "If you don't manage to get through it on here, I'd be happy be lend it to you. As well as any of the others."

Ana was touched. "That…that's so nice of you Jules, thank you."

"You are most welcome." He paused, listening to the distant music as they switched songs again, but kept on the subject. "We can combine that with the 'Liason' idea Rafael suggested for keeping tabs on my research. That still sound like a good idea to you?"

"Yes, it does." Ana replied. "I think it's a good idea…" she paused for a moment. "…so does that mean I'll get to visit your home?"

"Sure thing." Jules said. A thoughtful look crossed his face. "In fact…I think I'll need to visit my home tomorrow. If you'd like to come along I could show you where it is for future reference."

"That sounds good." She gave him a curious look of her own. "Why do you need to go there though?"

"Well…" Jules hesitated. "Tomorrow evening I don't foresee any problem or obstacle to us getting back into the centre, obtaining that material I ordered & making my new formula…except one."

"Yes?"

"Sylvio." Jules said seriously.

"Who?"

Jules looked mildly surprised, but then his face cleared. "Oh right, sorry, you haven't heard of him. Ok, he's the Night Guard at the Conservation Centre. He takes his job _very_ seriously. Especially since that time Blu & Jewel were Birdnapped right under his nose. He vowed to be _much_ more diligent in future. I was able to clear my activities with the Temporary Guard Tulio brought in while Sylvio had a night off, but he'll back on duty tomorrow & the risk is high that he'll catch wind of what we're doing when the centre is supposed to be empty & investigate. The Compilation Sequence is not exactly quiet or subtle."

"So what can you do?" She asked.

Jules looked pained. "I think…that we'll have to…gently…take him out of the picture."

Ana raised her eye ridges. "That sounds like quite a tall order. How would you go about 'gently taking out' a Human?"

"I have the outline of a plan, but I'll need something from my home." Jules answered. "We could stop by there tomorrow & pick it up. I should have a talk with Linda & Tulio when they get back. I'll need to flesh out my plan with them & maybe they'll want to come along to my home too."

"Fair enough." Ana paused, listening to the distant music as the group switched songs once again. "It looks like they decided to see the rest of the party through after all."

"No reason they shouldn't" Jules said. "Rafael said he'd reassure them of my well-being, & it looked like they were enjoying themselves earlier. Plenty of time for them to finish up & get back before sundown." He glanced over to the corner of the hollow where his notes from earlier were neatly stacked, with Linda's hair in the rolled-up Sandwich Bag on top of them. "Speaking of which, if you want to continue reading I think I'll get my notes back out while I still have the light. I've thought a fair bit about the implications, but now I'd like to turn my attention to the practical implementations of my formula. I'm pretty sure that's going to be the more complex part."

"Sure thing Jules." Jules nodded in return & began to move towards his notes, but Ana added quickly. "Just one thing though, before you get into that?" He stopped & turned back to her with a mildly questioning look on his face, & Ana went on: "…I was wondering…if you wouldn't mind telling me…what is it like?"

Jules looked puzzled. "What is what like?"

"You know." She gestured towards him with her wing. "Being…something else. You were a Human, now you're a Macaw. How…different does it feel?"

Jules looked surprised, & then his expression shifted more towards a kind of intrigued interest. "Hmm…." He mused, once again bringing his wing feathers up under his beak & against the side of the face in that thoughtful pose. "I've not had to put the feeling into words…but you're right, in the spirit of Scientific Enquiry I should try to quantify it. As far as I know, we're the first people to have ever experienced something like this…as long as you leave out Myth & Legend, of course."

"Of course." Ana agreed. "So…how does it feel?"

Jules paused for a moment, thinking. "Well…at first it was really disorienting. As you saw back in the cage, my balance was way off & that was because my centre of gravity is considerably different. A human body is much larger & heavier obviously, & as such it has much larger & stronger legs on which the weight is balanced more centrally. Another thing is the lack of arms & hands. I don't notice most of time as it feels comfortable & natural to have my upper limbs folded up against my body, & my attention is only called to the difference when I need to gesture or pick something up, the first involving spreading my wing out & the second involving remembering that I need to forego my upper limbs & use my feet…err, claws instead."

"Interesting." Ana commented. "Please, go on?"

"When I do spread my wing out, it changes my balance again as you pointed out earlier, but when it is spread that's when I notice the difference from Hands the most." Jules went on. He spread his wing out & gazed at the Blue Primary feathers spread out in front of him. "These are nowhere near as strong as fingers, but one thing that's really surprising to me is just how flexible they are." He demonstrated the point by curling the feathers up slightly, making them flex into various configurations. He frowned slightly. "To be honest, I can't quite grasp how it's possible for us to do this. I understand angling them from the base to allow flight, but as to how they can curl up like this…" He trailed off, still frowning as he stared at & continued flexing his Primary feathers.

Ana shrugged. "Can't help you there Jules. It's just something we can do." She paused, watching as he took a closer look at the feathers, apparently trying to see how it was he was able to make them bend along their length. "How about the feather thing in general though? Humans don't have them at all right? Just that stuff you call hair?"

Jules was diverted from his observation by the new avenue. He folded up his wing & looked thoughtful again. "Being covered in feathers is…well, it's a hard thing to describe. It's not like wearing clothing, or even a suit made of feathers, as nasty as that probably sounds to you. I'm aware of them in probably the same way a human would be aware of their Hair on their head or on their face in the case of a Beard. Something part of you, & at the same time, something separate. You can easily forget about it until you're reminded they're there, just like with Hair or Beards."

"I'll take your word for that." Ana said with a trace of amusement.

Jules nodded & went on. "But the flying…oh Ana, the flying…" His face was lit up. "Humans have nothing like that. Even a Hang-Glider is a poor substitute. Flying under your own power is an experience that I don't think there is any comparison too for Humans. It's an effort certainly, but nowhere near as impossible a one as a human with wings strapped to their arms would find it, as silly an idea as that is. Once you helped me grasp the basics it felt so natural. Admittedly, I messed up by overthinking the mechanics when we needed to pull off getting through that window at the Bookstore, but just flying in the open sky…" He sighed. "You are so lucky to have that ability Ana. I'll be sad to have to give it up. Being able to go wherever you please, complete freedom of the air &…"

"Not exactly." She cut him off. As he looked at her in surprise, she continued: "I think you're forgetting something important Jules."

"What's that?"

"We may be able to fly wherever we please, but we need to be _very_ careful about where we land." She said seriously.

An expression of realisation came across Jules' face. "Oh...yes, of course. I forgot about the safety angle." He looked a little downcast as he continued: "As a Macaw you'd be in danger of Predators in the Wild, but also, I'm sorry to say, in danger from Humans both in the wild but especially in civilisation. There are plenty who would look at you…& me as I now am, & see potential for profit."

"Exactly." She looked at his downcast expression. "But hey, at least this area you guys have set aside for us alleviates some of that." She said kindly. "We can be assured of at least a measure of safety as long as we stay within it. Before that, we could never be sure how safe our home was. Staying up high was usually our best bet both in the Jungle & the City. Now, we only really need to do that in the City."

"I'm glad to hear that Ana." Jules said, looking gratified. "It was what it was set up for after all. It was terrible to think of Smugglers so brazenly snatching Birds out of the jungle, breaking up Families & such."

"Y…Yes." Ana said, & Jules caught the break in her voice & the distressed look that suddenly passed across her face.

"Ana, is something wrong?" he asked in concern. His eyes widened as he realised what he had just said. "Families…oh my." He looked wretched. "I…I'm so sorry Ana, I didn't mean to bring up…"

"No, no Jules, it's all right." Ana said, but she didn't meet his gaze. "I won't…won't blow up again." She took a deep calming breath. "Maybe…it's time I told you about that. I was going to earlier, but we were interrupted. I don't mind telling you now if you want to hear."

"Well…sure Ana, if you want to tell me." He answered, still with that concerned look on his face. "Please, don't feel obligated or forced to though if it's too painful."

Ana hesitated for a moment, & in that moment, the distant singing from the party came to an end. A chorus of cheers from the audience sounded, signalling their approval of the second set. As she listened, she looked back at Jules, still regarding her with concern.

"Maybe you're right." She said. "Let's leave it a little longer, I'll tell you tomorrow, if that invitation to accompany you & the others is still open."

"Of course." Jules said gently. "When, you're ready, & not before. I'll try to be more careful with my wording until then."

"Thank you Jules." Ana said. "Well, Linda & Tulio will probably be back soon. While we wait, I'll do a bit more reading & you can start on your notes, like we said before. Is that alright?"

"Absolutely Ana." Jules nodded & turned back towards his notes. As he walked across the hollow towards them though, he paused & looked back at Ana, who had tapped the central iPhone button like he had shown her to wake the device up. "Oh, & I'm glad you are so interested in all this Ana. I'm certain I can do wonderful things with this discovery if I can just stay on track, & you could really help with that."

"I hope so." She said. "Like I said, I was there at the beginning & I do find it all fascinating. I look forward to seeing where you can go with it, & I hope I can be of help." Jules smiled & nodded at her & turned back to his notes, removing the bagged hair from the top & spreading them out in front of him, where the golden sunlight from the entrance illuminated them for his perusal. Settling himself down in a corner of the hollow & focusing his attention on the notes, he then slipped smoothly into that focused "research mode" that Ana had seen him in earlier.

Ana turned her attention back to the iPhone & after unlocking the screen like he had showed her, the story reappeared. She tapped her wing feather lightly at one edge & the next chapter scrolled into view. She resumed her reading, getting absorbed back into the story & putting that thought that had occurred to her out of her mind for the time being. Jules was smart, but there did appear to be one important detail he was overlooking about his plan to return himself, Linda & Tulio back to normal tomorrow. If they didn't catch it & point it out to him, she would, but she also believed she had a solution, which made sense to her but they would probably find shocking.


	14. Chapter 14

**Another exposition-heavy chapter this one. I likes me some exposition. It also contains more blatant shout-outs to 2 of my favorite films. Can you spot them?**

**I also had quite a bit of trouble with the later part of the chapter. I wasn't happy with the flow & characterisation for a long time, but fortunately Strykeruk helped me out I think it's much better now. Thanks for the help buddy.**

**As always, reviews are much appreciated. I want to know what I'm doing wrong just as much as what I'm doing right.**

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Rio. I'm afraid Super-Secret-Cunning-Plan 17-Hydra-Alpha-C3 to change that didn't work out. Still, SSCP 5-Foxtrot-Beta-D1 should work for sure!**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

"What'ya think folks? Two for Two?" Nico called. The cheers, hollers & whoops gave him his answer. "Glad you think so! Now, not to put a downer on proceedings but I know some of you guys need to get moving soon to get home before sundown." There were a few nods from some of the adult Birds & a few "awws" from their offspring. "Yeah guys, we know." Nico called sympathetically. "You don't want the fun to end, but I can honestly say that I've seen a tonne of great dancing here this evening. Now, I want you guys to keep that up OK? If you do, we'll be sure to arrange another get together like this soon, but hopefully longer." The youngsters brightened at this & Nico went on: "So keep practicing those moves OK? Here's another instrumental set for you to be going on with." He turned & waved once more to the others & they started the MP3 player again.

As they once more came down from the rock stage to mingle with the crowd, Jewel transferred her attention from them & looked down to smile at her 2 sons & Daughter. The Trio had enjoyed themselves immensely, & Jewel was pleased that they had managed to avoid slipping up about the identity of the newcomers, but that was mostly because the other young birds weren't as interested in the subject as the adults & hadn't brought it up. This was their first Jungle dance party & next to that, new Birds visiting the Jungle hardly ranked as interesting at all, & this in turn allowed the 3 to at least partially forget about their 'Aunt' & 'Uncle' as they enjoyed themselves with their friends, which had been the gatherings main purpose after all.

The group of youngsters began to thin as their parents came over to retrieve them & go give their goodbyes & thanks to Rafael, Eva & the others for the good time they'd provided. As their friends took their leave one by one, Gia, Paulo & Andre came back over to their parent's side.

"Did you enjoy that my dears?" Jewel asked them with a smile.

"Oh yeah!" Andre said enthusiastically. His siblings nodded in agreement, but Andre went on: "But…do we really have to go home now? I heard there's some more later…"

Blu shook his head & said in a firm tone. "Sorry guys. That's a slightly different kind of party that you're not old enough for yet. Besides, growing Macaws like you need your sleep, especially with that trip we have planned tomorrow. You didn't forget about that did you?"

The Trio perked up at this, & Blu continued: "Not to mention that we can stop by our new friend's temporary home on the way, just to see how they are & ask if they want to come along."

The Trio looked properly excited at this, & Jewel looked up & across the clearing, her eyes searching for Linda & Tulio. Now that the crowd of Birds was beginning to disperse this was far easier than earlier & she quickly spotted them at one of the clearing's edges. They appeared to be having a conversation & Jewel could guess about what. She nudged Blu with the edge of her wing & as he looked at her, she gestured to the Duo.

"Let's go on over to them." She said. "It looks like they're talking about their next move, which will probably be to go meet up with Jules at their Hollow." A slight frown passed over her features. "I just hope Jules has managed to stay out of any further trouble."

Blu frowned at her in turn. "Oh hey, come on now Jewel. You can't seriously be blaming him for what Juan did. From the sound of it, he would have reacted that way to any Bird hanging around Ana, & it's a good thing we all got to know his True Colours. You honestly think a nice Girl like her is suited to a Jerk like that?"

"No." She admitted. She looked down at her kids, their heads tilted curiously at their parent's comments. She smiled reassuringly at them. "Oh, don't worry my dears, its nothing you need to concern yourselves about. Just…adult stuff."

The young Macaws looked at each other, but then gave mild shrugs of their wings. Jewel felt just a touch of envy. If only she & Blu could shrug off so easily the complexities their friend's presence in their world brought. Despite what Tulio had said earlier, she didn't really object to them being there & it was nice to be able to interact with them, but the fact remained that letting the others think they were real Birds was causing quite a bit of complication. At least if they agreed to come along tomorrow it would be just them & they wouldn't have to keep up the pretence.

She roused herself from the sombre thoughts. "C'mon." She said with a gesture, & the Blue Macaw family moved quickly across the slowly emptying clearing towards Linda & Tulio.

The Pair looked up at their approach. "Hiya guys." Tulio said. "I gotta say…I'm floored. This is an awesome event, & I'm…really grateful you allowed us to come along & experience it." He & Linda smiled at them.

"Aw, that's OK guys." Blu said, smiling back at them in turn. "I'm glad you got to come along too." He glanced quickly around to make sure that none of the Birds left in the clearing were in earshot. "And I'm glad you got to see just what a great life you've provided for us." He unfolded one wing & gave Jewel & his kids an expansive hug with it, drawing them close. "Isn't that right guys?"

Jewel smiled in his embrace & gently nuzzled her head against his neck. "Quite right." She said. As Blu released his wing-hug she turned to the pair & said: "So, uh guys, I noticed you talking. You planning to head off back to your Hollow?"

They nodded. "That's right." Tulio said. He looked over at all the Birds who were saying their goodbyes & giving their thanks to Rafael, Eva & the others. "And it looks like some of the others have the same idea. I take it they need to get home before dark?"

"You got it." Blu agreed. "The ones with families need to bed the chicks down in the nests. Some of the bachelors will be sticking around though, as you can see." He pointed his wing feather over at the makeshift bar, where about a dozen adult Birds were gathered & idly chatting. He went on: "We need to get going in a bit too. Gotta got these guys tucked into the nest to rest up for tomorrow." He looked down at Andre & affectionately tussled the feathers on top of his head with his wing, ignoring his son's mildly annoyed squint & faintly reproachful comment of '_Dad_' as he did so. As Andre smoothed his head feathers down again, Blu looked back up at the pair & went on: "About that by the way…we were planning a little sight-seeing trip tomorrow, consisting of a general aerial tour of the city & stopping off at Sugarloaf Mountain. I'm telling you guys, as pretty as Rio looks from a cable car or hang-glider you haven't really seen it until you've seen it the way we do. Do you think…if you have the time…you might be able to come along?" he asked hopefully.

Linda & Tulio looked at each other, & then back at them. "Well, that's really good of you to offer Blu, & I'd love to see those places from your perspective, but we do need to sort out with Jules precisely what our schedule for tomorrow is." Tulio said. "Jules said we're going to get back into the Centre in the evening but he didn't elaborate just how. We may need to…"

Linda suddenly nudged him in the side. "Shh." She hissed. "Here comes…Carol?...wasn't it?" she said as she looked over their shoulders.

They looked round, & sure enough the Hyacinth Macaw & her family were heading over towards them. "Yes, that's her name." Blu said quickly. "I wonder what?..." he stopped as the Family came up to them & greeted them warmly.

"Oh, hello again dears." Carol said. "We were just giving our thanks to Rafael for this wonderful get-together he & his friends have arranged. We all loved it didn't we?" Her family nodded in agreement. "We do need to get going shortly, time's getting on, but we just couldn't leave without just having one last word with you…or um…perhaps I should say more precisely, Linda & Tulio here." She finished a little awkwardly.

Linda & Tulio looked a little surprised. They exchanged a glance with Blu & Jewel, but finding no help in their equally surprised looks, Linda turned back to the Female Hyacinth Macaw. "Why, of course Carol. What can we do for you?" She asked politely.

Carol still looked a little ill-at-ease. "Well, you see…um…this is a little awkward you understand, I'm not quite sure how to put it…but…it's about Ana." Seeing the puzzled look on Linda & Tulio's faces, she hastened on: "Now, now, I hope you don't think I'm butting in where I have no business to be, but if I can just say, we've known her for a long time. Ever since…since the incident, we've looked out for her & taken care of her. She's like an honorary member of our family, isn't she?" She looked to her Family for support & they agreed with her empathically.

"She's been like a daughter to us & a big sister to Kelly & Wesley here. Isn't that right guys?" Felipe stated solemnly, looking down at the 2 young Macaws. They nodded eagerly.

"That's why we were hoping to have a word with you dears, before we head off, & in case we don't get the chance again." Carol said. Linda & Tulio exchanged glances & then looked back at her.

"Oh…kay." Linda said slowly. "So you wanted to let us know that you in effect 'adopted' Ana right? So did…something happen to her Parents?..."

"Oh, It's not really my place to tell you about that, my dears, Ana is…rather sensitive about it, like you heard with her losing her temper with that awful Juan fellow." Carol sighed, looking a little downcast. "I must admit…we did have hopes for him. But it seems clear now that he wasn't right for her." She looked up again. "But that brings me to what we wanted to ask you my dears...about Jules."

It began to dawn on Jewel where Carol was going with this, & judging from the look on Tulio's face, he had begun to twig too. "Yes? What about him?" He asked, his voice level & polite but tinged with just a hint of suspicion.

Carol took a breath & then said. "Well, first off, can I ask if Jules is a relation of yours?"

"No, he isn't." Tulio replied. "We met him some time ago, but lost touch for a while. When we met back up recently we decided to travel together."

Carol appeared to accept this condensed & mostly true version of their backstory. "I see. Do you know if…you know, he's…involved with anyone?..."

Bingo. She had been right about the drift of Carol's conversation. As her honorary relatives they would be interested in a potential match for her. They weren't to know why it was too weird to even contemplate. Tulio appeared to agree with that assessment of the situation judging by the tolerant & sympathetic look he had on his face. After all, Jewel mused, Carol & the others were only trying to do exactly what he & they had done for her & Blu. "No Carol, he isn't." Tulio said. He then rushed on before Carol could say anything more: "And what's more I'm afraid he's not looking either. Now, I know what you heard Luiz say, but I assure you that Jules & Ana don't feel that way about each other. They're just friends."

"Oh." Carol said. "Well, do think that maybe if they spend some more time together they could become something more? After all, I've never seen Ana so willing to spend so much time in another's company."

Tulio opened his beak, apparently to continue to let her down gently, but he then paused. "…you haven't?" he asked, a faint note of suspicion in his voice. Linda gave him a sideways glance, but didn't say anything.

"Oh, no my Dears." Carol responded to Tulio's question. "Ana has always been something of a loner in spite of our best encouragements. But she seems to get along so well with Jules, & he with her too from what I hear. It was so nice of him to invite her back to your Hollow to cheer her up after that unpleasantness with Juan. Hopefully being alone together might help them get closer."

Again Tulio had that sympathetic look on his face. "I'm glad to hear that Ana has opened up a little Carol. No Bird should be alone." He said gently. "But I'm afraid it won't…that is, I'm pretty sure, that it won't go further than that between them. Now, from what I understand the 2 intend to stay in touch, but just as friends & nothing more."

Carol looked faintly disappointed. "Oh…well, that's something. Staying in touch with a friend will surely be good for her." She looked at her family who nodded sagely. She looked back at Tulio & quirked an eye ridge at him. "But, if you don't mind me asking dears, what makes you so sure that their friendship won't develop into something more? I am sorry to keep on, but we just can't let an opportunity for her to be happy slip away without at least exploring it."

"I can appreciate that." Tulio said. "Ana's lucky to have someone like you looking out for her. Now, as to why I'm so sure, let's just say that we know Jules quite well, & we can assure that although I think the 2 of them could be good, shall we say _companions_, being anything else just wouldn't cross Jules' mind." Carol & Felipe exchanged a look at that, & Felipe gave a half-shrug.

"Hmm." Carol said thoughtfully, while she tapped the edge of her wing up against the bottom part of her beak & gazed at the floor. An idea appeared to strike her & she met Tulio's gaze again. "Say, if you know him that well, maybe you could give him some encouragement? Maybe over time? If they do spend more time together, he's sure to thaw on the idea eventually. I mean, how could he not? It's not as if there's anything standing in the way right?"

Tulio appeared to be caught a little off guard by this comment. "I…Well, no…It's just…" he stopped, unable to put the fundamental objection into words.

"Just what my dear?" Carol asked. "_Is_ there something that would stand in the way of them being together?"

Tulio opened his beak, but then closed it again, apparently unable to find the words. Jewel felt a twinge of sympathy for him. The conversation had spiralled rapidly out of claw & caught him off guard. Fortunately however, Linda came to his rescue. "It's just that this is all rather sudden Carol." She interjected smoothly. "They've only known each other since they were released from the Centre this morning after all, & since they do plan to keep in touch we feel it's best to let things sort themselves out. Trying to push them together just might have the opposite effect after all, so if it's all right with you, we'd like to let the friendship between the 2 develop naturally."

"Yes, that's right." Tulio said, casting a grateful look at Linda.

"Oh, yes, of course dears, quite right, quite right." Carol agreed. "We should let them realize their feelings in due time. I'm sorry if I came across as too pushy. We were only trying to help Ana out."

"No problem at all Carol." Linda said smoothly. "Like Tulio said, Ana's lucky to have you looking out for her. The world would be a much better place if everyone was willing to take care of & support each other like you."

Carol looked pleased, giving them a big smile. "Thank you, my dears. We do our best." She glanced up at the sky & continued: "Well, we really need to get going. Lovely to talk to you dears, please don't be strangers OK?" Carol said happily as she & the rest of her family politely made their goodbyes. As they spread their wings & took to the air, Tulio watched them fly off before releasing a sigh of relief.

"Well, that was close. Thanks for the rescue Linda." He said. Linda gave him a slight nod & Tulio went on: "I thought I was going to start sweating, which would have been a neat trick seeing as it's biologically impossible in this body." Jewel shot Blu a Look, at which he just shrugged sheepishly.

"You can't really blame them though Tulio." Linda said. "It's rather sweet in a way, that they're all so determined to play matchmaker." She sighed. "But this just goes to show why trying to explain or elaborate on a deception is dangerous. I don't like having to deceive them like that, but just like Rafael said earlier, it is unfortunately necessary for now & we need to keep it simple & direct. We're not staying for reasons we unfortunately can't go into. That's it." She looked around. "Fortunately, we shouldn't have to do that much longer. Once we're away from big social gatherings like this one, it shouldn't come up. C'mon guys, let's go & say our goodbyes & get moving."

The others nodded in agreement, & the Blue & Scarlet Macaws made their way over to the party exit committee.

* * *

Jules gazed out of the entrance of the hollow, but he wasn't taking in the view. When the sinking sun's rays had finally shifted enough to not be streaming in the entrance & illuminating his notes anymore, he had quietly put them to one side with the precious hair on top & made himself comfortable against the side of the Hollow's interior, looking out of the entrance but with his gaze unfocussed as he was deep in thought.

Ana was still reading the story on the iPhone's screen, the backlight of the device gently illuminating her & now the main light source in the tree's gnarled interior. Jules left her to it as she appeared to be totally absorbed in the story & enjoying herself immensely.

Practical Implementations. He had had thoughts about this darting in & out of his head for most of the afternoon & evening, but with the very enjoyable time he had spent at the party & getting of taste of that strange "dancing instinct" the Birds native to Rio appeared to have (& he now had too) he had put them aside. Now that he had time to think & had used his notes to quickly prime his mind for the subject, he began to seriously think about just how he could go forward with the research on his formula once he, Linda & Tulio were back to normal.

The first thing, the _very_ first thing would be to devise some way of monitoring this 'Morphogenetic Matrix' that had apparently been unintentionally 'reprogrammed' by his formula. Ana had a point; there could be side-effects to messing with such a thing. They had already experienced one with the overdose they had received from the shattered vial. Jules estimated they had received about half a dozen doses each by inhaling the vapour in that manner, & in turn his calculations revealed this is what was responsible for the 'Delayed Shock' their Matrices had exhibited with the delay before the change took effect & then the approximate 8 hours of unconsciousness they had all experienced once it did. But Jules was reasonably sure that there would be no further complications from this overdose. Just one properly measured dose of his new formula would be enough to change them back to Humans near-instantly & without knocking them out again. As to any further potential side-effects, Jules couldn't say at the moment & was why he needed to conduct tests, but his experience & analysis of their situation so far hadn't brought up any immediate causes for concern. There was a definite colouring of their tastes & appreciations (flying, fruit, dancing) but they were still the same people under the feathers, the same memories, thoughts, feelings, etc. There could be issues that might arise from repeated or much longer-term use of or exposure to his formula though & was why he needed to make sure that he, Linda & Tulio were still healthy, or at least that their 'Matrices' were. The problem was that since Science as he knew it had dismissed the very idea of such a Matrix, there were no tests or equipment that he could use to monitor it & their conditions. He would have to start at Square One, trying to pinpoint on what level this Matrix actually worked so he could analyse its state & whether there were any deviations from the normal values, whatever those actually were.

Jules frowned slightly. He was going to have to invent an entirely new kind of Science. All on his own. That was daunting enough prospect for a team of highly qualified professionals working with state-of-the-art equipment, but one moderately intelligent (he didn't have any kind of inflated opinion of himself on that score) guy working with limited resources? A _very_ tall order. The Centre had provided him with reasonably up-to-date Computer & Laboratory equipment, but most of what he had used to create his unique invention he had obtained on his own initiative & at his own expense. It had helped that most of it had been dirt-cheap components that his Hobbyist inventor friends on the Internet had directed him towards, & that he had been able to see the potential of & how they could all fit together into something greater. The Molecular Isolation & Displacement Array for example, had been used by a research lab years ago in some kind of 'Miniaturization' experiment, but had been junked when the project was apparently a failure. Jules hadn't really understood why that was. The official reports on that experiment & its results were strangely light & were riddled with subtle but quite baffling (at least to him) errors. Convinced such technology was the answer to his own needs, he had obtained the components to build his own version of the MID Array & after replacing & fixing a number of oddly missing or incorrect sections of the design (again, not hard to do if you knew what you were looking for) the device appeared to work just fine. It was almost as if the errors in the schematics were intentional & the device had been junked to make people think it didn't work or something, & since the parts he had used to correct these errors weren't that remarkable in themselves (only in conjunction) he had been able to obtain them relatively cheaply & easily.

Jules redirected his thoughts. He was getting a bit off track. The Compilation Matrix came next. Once the MID array had been used to reduce his ingredients to a Molecular Particle based 'slush' this was what was responsible for recombining or 'knitting' together the raw material of that slush according to the pattern of his formula he'd programmed into it. He had used Ana's feather in the machine as a template or guide in an attempt to target his theorized 'Language Matrix' of Birds & add the data of that Matrix to the Human one, but he had instead imbued the formula (& therefore them) with Ana's Scarlet Macaw Matrix instead. The Human hair could quite simply replace the feather at this part, creating a formula that would imbue the subject with a Human form, or in their case reactivate the ones they already had dormant. Jules' mind briefly started to consider what Tulio & Ana had said earlier about potentially any DNA sample being used, but he put that issue to one side for now. They were right, in theory he could make a formula that would turn anyone into anything just by changing the DNA sample used, but that was entire other can of worms that he didn't want to think about right now, or at least until he'd finished dealing with the first one he'd opened.

He had had a bit of help with creating this part of the Technology. A hobbyist inventor he had communicated with on the Internet had given him very valuable advice about how to custom-build his own equipment in exchange for Jules' advice of how to synthesize molecules. The back-&-forth between them had been invaluable for Jules & apparently this other guy too. This guy had been a bit cagey about exactly what he was trying to do (apparently his inventions didn't always work out, something he was a bit sensitive about) but Jules had divined enough to conclude that he was trying to make some kind of device that converted water into food. Basic H20 into full food items, no less. That had sounded far-fetched to Jules at the time, but bearing in mind his current situation, who was he to say that now? he thought with a touch of amusement as he gave his feathery & winged body a quick glance. If that guy got that technology to work, he could do big things with it. He had certainly taught Jules how to do a lot with relatively simple equipment.

And he had done a lot. A veritable _mountain_ of an achievement. But as he stood there, at the base of this metaphorical mountain gazing up a peak that was so high it was lost in the metaphorical clouds, Jules was starting to feel a little overwhelmed. He had invented this Science…well, mostly, he thought with a twinge of conscience towards Dr Tennyson. He would've loved to tell the good Doctor how he had been right about his theories, but he couldn't take the risk. The Doctor may not agree about the need for caution & secrecy, & this left Jules pretty much alone going forward (no offense to Linda & Tulio of course) but could he fully explore & bring forward this new Science by himself? He was certainly going to try, but perhaps the more crucial question was: How was he going to fund his research? He was going to have to design & build more equipment to fully analyse this effect & although he had enough put by to get started, he was reasonably sure his limited budget would rapidly start to feel the strain. He couldn't get help from anyone without revealing that which he had promised to keep secret, & as willing as Tulio was to see him continue his research the Centre couldn't be expected to foot the bill either. Not only was the Centre on a limited budget itself but that money needed to be spread around its core operations & for its stated purpose, which was Bird Conservation.

Not to mention that the Centre's expenditure also needed to be tracked. Jules had to count his lucky stars that his research work was only considered an aside to his main work at the Centre, as suddenly withdrawing his application & announcing that he had nothing to show for over a year of research work would probably have gotten him fired or at least on probation if he was employed elsewhere where it was his main job, like…Jules quickly squashed that train of thought. He was _not_ going down that road again.

Jules frowned again. As unwelcome as the idea was, he just may have to face the fact that he wouldn't be able to carry this research forward by himself, or at least not as far as he otherwise could if he had more resources. He wasn't going to let that stop him trying however. He would just have to go as far as he possibly could before he could even consider trying to get any help or outside support. But how far was that? How or where could he possibly obtain the extra resources he knew he would need? As if to taunt him, the thought he had just squashed popped up again & he once again firmly dismissed it, with a faint twinge of annoyance this time. As much as he would like to show how he had been right &… she had been wrong, she represented exactly the kind of person he was _not_ going to involve in this. Jules allowed himself a brief moment to reflect on the irony that although he had been proved right about his theories, he couldn't prove it to her, not without jeopardizing this beautiful world he had been allowed to visit & promised to safeguard.

He deliberately turned his thoughts away from the dark avenue they had strayed towards. That had to be some other way he could generate the required funds for his research. But how? He didn't have the time to devote to a second job & that would only go so far anyway. He would need to have some kind of lucky windfall or… He stopped, a thought having suddenly popped up in his head & converting his frown into a slightly startled rising of his eye ridges. Unlike the previous ones, this thought might actually be helpful, but it was so unexpected & startling that he shied away from it for a moment, before he finally felt ready to return to & analyse further. Would it work? He thought as he turned it around in his mind. _Should_ it work? He frowned slightly again. It was an area of life that he had never had any interest in exploring, but he also had moral qualms about trying to take advantage of. Was it ethical & moral to even consider such a thing? What would the others say? Would they be on board with helping or would they consider it wrong or an abuse of their friendship?

These questions ran round & round in Jules head, & he eventually concluded that this was something he'd have to take up with Tulio. Maybe he would have Moral objections, maybe not. And even if he didn't Rafael might. If he was denied at either gate Jules would just have to accept it & move on. This whole 'keeping me on the right track' thing he had agreed with the 2 wasn't just for show after all, & maybe they would have better ideas about how Jules could obtain the necessary funding for the equipment he needed, or maybe not.

Putting that issue to one side until he could run it by Tulio later, Jules occupied himself by reviewing the meagre information he had about how the change to the 3 of them had actually manifested. It most definitely wasn't a Metamorphosis as Science traditionally knew it. That involved slow, gradual changes over prolonged periods of time that took up most of the subject's lifespan & energy, but this? Almost instantaneous & with no (apparent) ill effect. That implied that it worked on some kind of energy rather than biological level, just like Dr Tennyson had theorised & that brought Jules right to the Prototype material that formed the crucial ingredient of his formula. It was an energy-based material that he knew was vital in order to make his formula effective, but he had had no idea just _how_ effective it would make it. If he could compare the energy resonances of the material in its raw form, in the state his completed formula took (that was part of the reason he was compiling it in the first place, after all) & in the energy field of the human body then he might be able to glimpse the outline, the parameters, the level on which this energy operated, & how it interacted with the energy of the body to produce it's unique effect.

There would have to be tests. Tests, tests & more tests. He wouldn't get anywhere or understand anything without tests. Tests were the first pitons he would need to start hammering into the sheer faces of that metaphorical mountain in order to start hauling himself up…

Lost in his thoughts as he was, & quite comfortable in his position in the hollow, Jules hadn't taken in the sight of the light outside the hollow continuing to fade. He was suddenly brought back to the real world though by the sound of approaching wing beats, & he realized that it the sun would be down soon & it would be officially night-time. He roused himself & glanced across at Ana, who had also heard the sound & tearing her attention away from the story she had been reading, exchanged a look with him. The 2 then focussed on the entrance. A number of Birds came in to land on the branches outside, & Jules relaxed a little as he immediately recognized Linda & Tulio's Scarlet Macaw bodies in the forefront. Blu, Jewel & their kids came in behind them. As they steadied themselves on the branches & folded their wings by their sides, Tulio peered into the dim hollow, now lit only by the glow of the iPhone's screen.

"Jules? Ana? Ah, there you are. Are you 2 OK?" he asked.

"I'm just fine Tulio." Jules said to him reassuringly. "Ana?" he looked across at her & she just nodded. Jules returned his attention to Tulio. "Did Rafael fill you in on what happened?" Upon Tulio's quick nod Jules went on: "Yeah, it looks like Juan had gotten the idea that there was something between Ana & me, just like Luiz had. Though I must say, his reaction was quite different."

"Yes." Tulio said. He & Linda carefully climbed in through the entrance, & stopped just inside. The Hollow was comfortable large enough for 4 Macaws, but more would have started to make it a little crowded, so Blu, Jewel & their kids remained outside of the entrance looking in. As Tulio & Linda stood before Jules & Ana, Tulio went on: "He's not the only one he seems to have gotten that idea though. Just before we said our goodbyes & left the party, we had a very interesting chat with Carol & her family." He was looking directly at Ana as she said this, & her eye ridges went up briefly, before settling back down in a frown. "And just as we were saying our goodbyes, Nico, Pedro & Luiz at first tried to persuade us to stay for the third section of the music, but when we declined they then very kindly went on to suggest that there was another vacant hollow not too far away that they'd be happy to direct us to & we could spend the night there instead of here. We politely turned that down too of course, & Rafael backed us up."

Jules frowned. "Why would they suggest that? This one is plenty big enough for all of us. The only reason for that would be to divide us into 2 groups, & there's no reason for…" He began but then stopped as he saw the looks Linda, Tulio, Blu & Jewel were giving him. A definite 'come on guy, put it together' look. He looked at Ana, & her look back at him had shades of that too, but was also apologetic. "…Oh…_Oh_…Yes…right, that again." He heaved a sigh. "They do seem rather fixated on that, don't they? Luiz, Juan…& now that I think about it…that's probably what Felipe was hinting at earlier too, I just didn't see it at the time." He looked up at Tulio again. "Tulio, we've already said a few times that we don't feel that way about each other, but I guess…without explaining exactly why that is, they just aren't going to accept it, or stop trying to change it."

"No, they're not." Tulio said. A smile tugged at the edges of his beak. "And I must admit, there's an amusing aspect to it. It's probably exactly what I'd be trying to do if I saw a new pair & a potential match for an existing bird turn up in the area." He glanced at Blu & Jewel behind him & they exchanged a smile. He looked back at Jules. "I just never thought we'd be on the receiving end." He chuckled a little at that & Jules & Ana joined in.

"Well guys, I think we've all had quite an eventful day, but it's getting late & we need to get these guys home before too long." Blu said, glancing down at Gia, Andre & Paulo. They rolled their eyes slightly but didn't say anything. Blu looked back up at the group inside the Hollow. "You'll all be alright here for tonight won't you?" He paused as the group nodded at him in response. "That's good. You shouldn't forget, try not to go out on the Jungle floor once it gets dark. No Bird around here should do that except for emergencies. This area is relatively safe, but you shouldn't take chances. I'd hate anything to happen to any of you, seeing as you've had such a nice time this evening & all."

"You don't have to worry Blu." Tulio responded. "I think I can safely say I know a thing or 2 about how Birds survive in the Wild. I wouldn't be much good at my job if I didn't right?" He said with another half-smile.

Blu & Jewel smiled back at him, but Jewel also arched an eye ridge. "I would hope you're learning a thing or 2 from this experience as well though Tulio." She said. "That airy assumption you made earlier about us & our ability to manage our instincts was mildly insulting."

Tulio blinked at this, looking a little taken aback. Before he could say anything however, Blu spoke up: "Hey, c'mon Jewel, be nice. You can't really expect him to change the habits of a lifetime overnight, & once he's back to normal, all the Birds in his care will go back to keeping up the masquerade of not understanding him. I bet it'll be a little hard for him to go back to treating them the same way, knowing what he does now. Isn't that right Tulio?"

Tulio still looked a little taken aback, but he responded: "Oh…yes, yes, that's quite right Blu. I…admit that…I still have some carryover. I will try my best…not to make insulting assumptions about your self-control in future." For some reason he glanced at Ana for an instant before rapidly averting  
his gaze. She gave a slight frown at this but didn't say anything.

"That's all we ask." Blu said happily. "Speaking of the future though guys, we did actually have some plans for tomorrow that we were hoping you might be able to join in on. Do you have time before you need to go back to the Centre?"

"Well, that depends." Tulio said, apparently happy to change the subject. He looked across at Jules. "What exactly do we need to do tomorrow Jules?" he asked him. "You said we need to go back to the Centre in the evening, but do we need to do anything to prepare for that earlier in the day?"

"Just one thing." Jules answered them. "We need to visit my home in the city." He paused, seeing the surprised looks on Linda & Tulio's faces. "You see, actually getting into the Centre isn't the problem. There's a very simple way for us to do that…the back service entrance near the lab."

"That's kept locked Jules." Tulio said. "I was very clear about that for the Centre's security."

"Yes…which I why I…obtained my own key." Jules admitted sheepishly. "I needed an unobtrusive way to get all that extra equipment I used into the Lab. I hid the key not far from the door & that's how we can sneak in without being seen."

Tulio deep a deep breath, but then just sighed. "I should be angry with you for that Jules, it's against the rules, but you're right. It does solve the problem of how we can get back in. Otherwise, we probably would have had to pretend to be sick or injured, get taken in & then escape from the cages. I'm glad that's not necessary. But why do we need to go to your home?"

"Sylvio."

Tulio frowned. "What about him? He's on duty to guard the centre's main entrance. He'll only investigate if he hears…oh." Tulio hesitated. "Your process will cause some disturbance won't it? He's sure to investigate something like that…"

"Exactly. This is why we need to…gently take him out of the picture." Linda, Tulio, Blu & Jewel all stared at him & he went on: "You see Tulio, as I was experimenting to find the right materials for my formula, one of the substances I tested & discarded, but still have some left-over, is a water-soluble sedative."

Tulio blinked again, & it took him a few seconds to find his voice. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting Jules?" he asked him.

"I know it's a bit…extreme." Jules said apologetically. "But you know how seriously he takes his guard duty these days. I know the exact dose to give him it'll just be a one-off. He's not any other medication is he Tulio?"

Tulio just shook his head dumbly & Jules went on: "Perfect. All that will happen is that he'll have a nice nap while we're busy in the Lab. We can drop by my Home sometime tomorrow to pick it up. Does that fit in with your plans Blu?"

Reminded of his offer, Blu perked up: "Oh…oh! Yes right, well, Jewel & I had planned an aerial sightseeing tour of Rio with the kids, stopping off at Sugarloaf Mountain. I assume you live somewhere in the City Jules?" He paused & Jules nodded in assent. "Then, as we're going pretty much all over we could arrange our route to stop off there on the way back. We wouldn't have to carry the stuff far then."

"Sounds good to me." Jules said. "I must admit, I really would like to give these wings of mine a good stretch before I lose them." He ruffled them slightly. "We've spent a lot of time on the ground today, but I still remember how awesome that feeling & sight was, flying over here & then to & from the Bookstore."

Blu smiled at him. "I thought you'd feel that way." He turned to Linda & Tulio. "How about it guys? Please say yes." He pleaded with them.

Tulio roused himself. ""Yes, yes we'd love to come Blu. As you say, we can fit in this detour to Jules'…" he fixed Jules with a look. "But I'm hopeful I can come up with something better before that becomes necessary. I'm not really comfortable with the idea of doing that, seeing as he's my own employee & all."

"Maybe he'll get used to it." Linda said with a twinkle in her eye. Tulio shot her a sour look.

Blu then addressed Ana. "Say, Ana you've been quiet up until now. You want to come along?"

Ana glanced at Tulio. Jules had noticed him giving her one or two odd looks since he had returned to the Hollow & it seemed she had picked up on it too. He didn't know why however & she didn't address it. Instead she said: "Well, I'd love to come. Like I said earlier, I'd like to see this adventure of yours through to the end, & as such, would you mind if I accompany you to the Centre in the evening too?"

"Why sure Ana, if you want." Jules said. "Like I said, you're part of this what with reporting on my activities for Rafael. You can..." He was interrupted at this point however, as the distant music from the party started up again, & he along with the others paused to listen.

It was immediately apparent to Jules, how different this music was from the rest that they'd already heard. While the previous songs were rather high-energy party-focussed dance numbers, this song was much slower paced. It started with a Nico whistling melodically, & he then proceeding to sing a slow lovey-dovey number.

Warm smiles spread over Blu & Jewel's faces & they looked at each other. "Remember that one Jewel?" Blu asked her. She nodded, gazing tenderly into his eyes as they reached out with & intertwined their primary feathers. Their kids reacted to this in various ways. Andre merely rolled his eyes, Paulo gave the group in the hollow an apologetic '_they sometimes get like this'_ look & Gia had a small smile on her beak as she watched her parent's behaviour.

"No Petals here though." Jewel put in mischievously. Blu looked a little put out.

"Jewel." He said with a hint of reproach, but no real ire. She gave a short chuckle & then leaned across to kiss him.

As they did so & then simply gazed into each other's eyes for a moment, the Scarlet Macaws inside the hollow watched them in a slightly uncomfortable manner. "Well, umm…" Jules spoke up & caused the 2 to start slightly & pull apart with slightly embarrassed looks on their faces. "I think we can see now why they wanted us to stay for the third set. This appears to be the 'couples' section of the evening, & I suppose it's for the best we're well out of it."

"Indeed." Tulio said. "I think we've had enough awkwardness on that score for one night, & hopefully for good."

"Right." Jules paused for a second as the song went on the distance, Nico putting just as much effort into singing the lovey-dovey song as he had with the Samba earlier. Jules shook himself. "Right, yes, well, as I was saying…err…yes! Ana can come & see firsthand…err, firstwing or firstclaw, whatever, our making & application of the formula tomorrow evening."

"Yes, please Jules." Ana said with a note of firmness in her voice. "I would like to see that very much. I consider it very important that I be there."

"Ok then, that's all settled." Blu said cheerfully. "Now, we really must be going. You guys stay safe now OK? We'll see you at first light tomorrow morning. That's when all of us stir around here & we can have a bite to eat before we set off….Oh! but don't go turning in just yet though. Don't forget that Rafael said he'd drop by right after the party to see you & to have a talk away from all the bustle & excitement."

"No problem Blu. We still have a few things left to take care of anyway. Notifying the Centre about the status of Linda's ankle for one thing." Tulio said, with a wink at her.

"Ankle?" Jewel asked puzzled, glancing down at Linda's lower legs. Her kids looked at them too, looking perplexed.

"I'll tell you later." Blu reassured her. "C'mon guys, we gotta go. Say goodnight to your Aunt, Uncle & her & your new friends now kids; we'll see them all tomorrow."

As the Blue Macaw family said their goodbyes & took off, the group watched them disappear from sight & then Tulio turned back to address the others. "Well guys, the next thing I need to do is make use of the iPhone." He said. "There should be at least a weak network signal out here, so I'll need to connect to it, check the e-mails & fire off one of my own, keeping them up to date with our cover story."

"Sure thing Tulio." Ana said, indicating the device propped up against the inside of the tree next to her. "Wonderful little device." She looked back at the rest of them. "And I guess, that's my cue to exit too. I suppose I…better get home before it gets too dark too."

Jules looked at her. There had been something in the way she had said that last comment. A distinct lack of enthusiasm, contrasting markedly with how she had referred to the iPhone. "Is there something wrong Ana?" He asked her. "Is there something wrong at your home?" He asked with a note of concern.

"Oh, no, no, it's not that." She said quickly. "It's just…well, it's possible that…Juan may drop by."

"I thought you had made it pretty clear to him that you didn't want to see him again." Jules pointed out.

Ana shook her head & sighed. "I don't expect that to stick. He'll convince himself I didn't really mean it, or that you had brainwashed me, or something equally stupid. He's like that, but I really don't feel in the mood to have to get worked up & Screech at him all over again."

Jules put his head one side, eyeing her. "Well, in that case…" he looked at Linda. "Is that offer you made still open Linda?"

"Offer?" It took Linda a moment to remember her earlier comment about letting Ana stay with them if she wanted. "Oh, yes. Yes, of course. You can spend the night here if you want Ana. As I said, plenty of room for all of us, & that Juan probably won't know to look for you here. And even if he did, we could back you up about not wanting to see him. Isn't that right Tulio?"

For some reason Tulio hesitated, giving Ana another of those looks. She frowned, but Tulio's hesitation was brief. "Yes Linda, quite right." He said. "In fact…" he paused just for a moment again before going on: "Perhaps Ana & I can have a little chat later. In Private." He added quickly. Seeing the slightly surprised looks on Ana & Jules' faces he clarified: "I would just like to clear up some things with her. Perhaps there's something I can do about Juan bothering her in future, for instance."

"What could you do?" Ana asked him sceptically. "Besides, I would have thought you'd be more inclined to bring us together rather than keep us apart, seeing as it's your job & all."

Tulio blinked again, & then said: "That's…that's a fair point Ana. Before all this & under certain circumstances I suppose I might have tried to put you 2 together to see if you could get along. I don't think it's too much of stretch though to say that you wouldn't have?"

"Stuck in an enclosure with the bane of my existence? Especially with it being clear why we were there & him knowing it? I would have strangled him within 5 minutes." She said flatly.

"Right…" Tulio said & then muttered something under his breath about _'…not even Lionel..._ "Well, I'm glad this happened in a way, so I wouldn't have had to put you through that & crisis averted." Tulio said cheerfully. "But that's the kind of thing I'm talking about Ana. Now that we can talk, we should, so we can get a much better picture of where each of us stands. We need to work out some kind of schedule for you 'liasing' with between us & Rafael, for one thing."

She nodded. "Ok, Tulio." She looked back at Jules & Linda. "Well, I'll take you up on that offer then guys. I'll stay over for tonight & then I can tag along on this sightseeing tour & your endeavours at the centre." She hesitated for just an instant, & then added. "Who knows, maybe I'll even be able to help out…just a little."

Jules nodded. "Sure you can. I'll need a little help to work the controls after all, & more claws would make the pushing of buttons & the turning of dials easier."

Ana inclined her head in acknowledgement & then moved out of the way of the iPhone, trading places with Tulio so he could get access to the device. As he tapped the central button with his claw & then used his primary feather to tap a few more controls, the others watched a little tensely as the device searched for a network signal. As the indicator at the top of screen lit up, Tulio peered at it.

"2 Bars &…GPRS." He read off. "Not ideal, but sufficient. We are in the middle of a Jungle after all." He tapped a few more controls & the e-mail came up, but with a little spinning circle up at the top. "This may take a while guys." He said, making himself comfortable against the Tree interior. "We'll have to be patient with such a slow connection."

The others exchanged glances & nodded, & then they each made themselves as comfortable as possible against the walls of their temporary accommodation, listening idly to the romantic songs the group in the distance were singing as they waited.

* * *

"Partying." He said, his voice dripping with disdain.

The reporting scout nodded. "Yes sir."

He sighed. "Well, I suppose it was to be expected. Those feather-brains hardly think about anything else, so I shouldn't be surprised they'd rope them into it. Was there anything else?"

"A minor incident Sir. The one known as Jules was attacked when he…"

"WHAT!" He jerked up, glaring at him. "He was attacked? What happened? Is he all right? If anything has happened to him…" the threat in his voice was apparent.

"He's fine sir!" the scout said hurriedly. "No injuries. He was just swooped upon & held down briefly. It was another Scarlet Macaw jealous of him hanging around the one known as Ana. He was rescued in short order by the Bulldog, & then the Ana Screeched at him & sent him packing."

He settled down again, glowering. "Good. That one is important to our plans. If anything happens to him…it could all be ruined." He fixed the scout with a glare. "Will that other Macaw be a problem?"

"No sir." The first shook his head empathically. "Ana sent him off & we just got word that she's decided to stay with those 3 for the night & go along with them tomorrow. All the way to the Centre in the evening in fact."

He frowned. "She is? Hmm." he thought for a moment, then said: "What else did they say about their plans?"

The Scout continued to give a detailed report on the conversation. When he got to part of what the group planned to do with Sylvio, he was rather taken aback when his leader threw back his head & laughed. It wasn't a joyful sound however.

"…Oh…oh that is just too rich." The Leader said, still chuckling. "They're playing right into our hands. Now there won't be anyone there to interfere when we make our move." He gave a few more sniggers, but then the mirth was suddenly wiped from his face as he turned sharply to address another who was waiting silently in the wings. "And speaking of which…how goes the practice?" he said.

The other nodded. "The accuracy is improving Sir. They can hit the target dead-centre 7 times out of 10 now."

"Excellent." He leaned back. "I knew your adaptability would serve us well in this situation. Keep up the practice. I want 10 times out of 10 before we leave for the Centre tomorrow, when the device will be loaded with the real deal." He fixed the other with a glare. "I also want it made clear that timing is crucial. When I point out the target, I want that Target hit within seconds. Any delay could be fatal to our success."

"Yes sir." The other saluted & left the area to relay the instructions.

The Leader returned his attention to the scout. "Keep up the surveillance for now." He instructed him. "We'll almost certainly lose them when they go on this little 'field trip' but that doesn't matter. We know enough about their plans now, & our own go forward as I instructed. Be sure to bring anything else you may learn to me."

Yes Sir." The scout saluted & then left the area too, leaving the leader alone with his thoughts.


End file.
